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Joseph D. Jamail is the undisputed “King of Torts,” having tried more than 500 cases and achieving more than 200 verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million. He is an active member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, American College of Trial Lawyers, International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American Board of Trial Advocates. 

Jamail’s professional accolades include Texas Lawyer Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award and being named Lawyer of the Century and Greatest Lawyer Ever by Texas Monthly Magazine.  He has been featured in American’s Top Trial Lawyers, “Who They Are & Why They Win,” and proclaimed “King of Torts” by The Washington Post and Chicago Tribune.

Jamail is most known as the famed trial attorney who won the landmark verdict in the 1985 Pennzoil v. Texaco case, resulting in a $10.53 billion verdict for Pennzoil Co., which sued Texaco Inc., alleging tortious interference with Pennzoil's contract to buy Getty Oil stock. He has been profiled and featured in numerous publications and television programs and has been a guest lecturer at universities, colleges and bar associations throughout the country. He holds honorary degrees from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, Texas Southern University and the Baylor College of Medicine.

Born in Houston, Jamail is a graduate of The University of Texas where he received his B.A. in 1950 and of The University of Texas School of Law where he received his L.L.B. in 1953. He is the founder and owner of the Jamail & Kolius law firm in Houston. Jamail is the recipient of many honors and awards including the The University of Texas Distinguished Alumnus Award, the Outstanding Alumnus Award from The University of Texas School of Law, the Distinguished Alumni Award of the Houston Texas Exes Association and the first-ever Longhorn Legend Award. In 1993, the Joseph D. Jamail Center for Legal Research was named in his honor at Texas.

Jamail’s philanthropic efforts include multiple donations to his alma mater totaling more than $50 million including $10 million to the School of Law for faculty recruitment and retention, the largest single gift in the school’s history, and $15 million for law, nursing and undergraduate advising. More than 4,000 University of Texas students enrolled or graduated thanks to scholarships donated by Jamail. Texas Memorial Stadium was named Joe Jamail Field in his honor and he has two statues on the university’s campus.  Jamail and his wife, Lee, have made more than $233 million in charitable donations to various communities and organizations.