John Quinn has helped build Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan into a litigation powerhouse with partner profits rivaling the very best of the white-shoe firms.

The 457-attorney firm averaged $3.62 million in profits per partner last year, for a 16% increase compared with the previous year. In 2009, it was the only firm besides Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to top $3 million in profits per partner.