Quinn Emanuel Partner Christopher Porter Profiled in Texas Lawbook

Football, a Steakhouse & Storytelling.

Quinn Emanuel Partner Christopher D. Porter, Co-Chair of the firm’s National Trial Practice Group, didn’t originally plan on becoming a trial lawyer. As a standout running back and captain of the University of Texas at El Paso’s football team, Chris had his sights set on professional football and eventually opening his own restaurant, “Porterhouse Steakhouse.” After a minicamp in the NFL ended sooner than expected, Chris began reconsidering his path.

Years later, while working as an underwriter in Philadelphia, Chris remembered a professor at UTEP who once encouraged him to think about law school. He reached out, and the two began preparing for the LSAT together. Chris went on to attend the University of Michigan Law School, later clerking for U.S. District Judge Philip Martinez in El Paso before beginning his career in private practice. That path ultimately led to Quinn Emanuel.

Today, Chris has built a reputation as a leading trial lawyer, someone who, as he puts it, “tells stories for a living.” The lessons he learned along the way, from leadership on the football field and retail management to discipline from the courtroom, continue to shape the way he practices today.

Read the full story here.