Born as Joseph Dahr Jamail, Jr. on the 19th October 1925 in Houston, Texas USA, Joe was an attorney best known to the world as “King of Torts”, who during his career became the wealthiest practicing attorney in the US. He passed away in 2015.
Have you ever wondered how rich Joseph Jamail was at the time of his death? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Jamail’s net worth was as high as $1.5 billion, an amount earned through his successful career as an attorney, which began in the mid-1950s.
Joseph Jamail Net Worth $1.5 Billion
Joe was the son of Lebanese immigrant Joseph, and his wife Marie Anton Jamail. His father arrived in the US when he was a boy, and since he was a teenager worked as a grocery seller, but as he got older, built his own kingdom of 28 grocery stores. Joe went to St. Thomas High School in Housto,n and after matriculation enrolled at the University of Texas in Austin. However, he only took one semester before he joined the US Marines in 1943. He returned to the University after World War II ended, and finished his education in 1950. He then enrolled at the University of Texas School of Law, and three year later received his Juris Doctor degree. He had a hard time with civil charges while in University, and also had trouble passing the bar exam, but years later he became one of the most successful attorneys in America.
He specialized in charges brought by clients who suffered work-related injuries, or other events, which earned him the nickname “King of Torts”. He represented numerous successful companies, including Pennzoil against Texaco, which won him alone $335 million. Throughout the years he received payments of around $100 million, which increased his net worth to a large degree. His first job was at Fulbright, Crooker, Freeman, Bates & Jaworski, and he then worked one year in Harris County, Texas as an assistant prosecutor, before he ventured into private practice, which he continued into the 21st century, not without brushes with the bench on occasions.
Regarding his personal life, Joe was married to Lee Hage from 1949 until 2007, when she died. They had three children. He passed away on the 23rd December 2015 in Houston, Texas.
Joe was also a well-known philanthropist; focused on education he donated millions to his alma mater and Rice University. The University of Texas at Austin opened several facilities that bear Joe’s name, including the football field at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, and the Pavilion at The University of Texas School of Law. Moreover, Joe donated to San Marcos Baptist Academy to establish a fund to build a special event center on the Academy campus, as a tribute to his deceased wife; she was a graduate of the Academy.
