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Law, and Texas Southern University College of Law.
Just a few of the honors and awards he has received include The National Law Journal naming him one of the “100 Most Influential Lawyers in America.” Texas Lawyer named him one of the “100 Legal Legends of Texas,” and the Houston Chronicle listed him among the five best Texas Trial Lawyers of the past century. O’Quinn received the honor of Distinguished Alumnus from the University of Houston
in 1993 and the University of Houston Law Center in 1996.
In 1996, O’Quinn’s generous gift to the University of Houston’s law library helped make it one of the largest and most prestigious in the
area, and, most fittingly, it carries his name.
The King’s Castle
At the end of the day though, O’Quinn returns to his River Oaks home, drives up the winding driveway, walks to
the front and opens the double doors.
“When I open the doors and look out over the back yard, with all of nature, the
stress of the day seems to fall away,
” O’Quinn says.
The yard, O’Quinn notes, is over two acres of rolling hills and is filled with lush green,
lavish landscaping, a putting green, a life-size chess board inbedded in the
lawn with huge moveable pieces, a fountain, four life-size steel horse
sculptures, Greco-Roman style walk-ways with natural cut stones, fish ponds, a
variety of trees and shrubs, and a pool, all of which are visible through the
solid-glass windows that stretch the length of the back of the house.
The design of the home is contemporary, with a Greco-Roman flair, and is open
with natural sunlight filling the rooms, especially the oversized main area,
which contains six sitting areas defined by furniture placement and Tabriz
rugs.
To the left of the front door is a deep tan circular couch against the wall. On
the opposite side of the front doors is a round, glass dining table with six,
deep tan chairs.
Almost in the center of the room is another circular couch and sitting area that
overlooks the back yard.
Brazilian cherry hardwood floors with a natural stone, tile border flows
throughout the first floor. However, between the main room and the back windows
is the loggia
—a tiled corridor supported by columns, Roman arches and stunning chandeliers.
The main room’s walls are ivory, which emphasizes the highly colorful contemporary works of
art from some of the most respected artists of our time. Each work of art has a
story behind it, which O
’Quinn gladly shares.
O’Quinn’s dark wood paneled, traditional home office is an elegant and intimate work
space with family photos on the credenza, behind the oversized, dark wood,
executive desk and numerous books in the built-in bookshelves around the room.
The small kitchen, on the opposite side of the house, resembles a luxury lounge
with a built-in flat screen television in the front of the bar, with red
leather, home theater-style chairs in front of a carved marble fireplace. The
backside of the bar is the kitchen
’s workspace and appliances. A small glass dinning table with four chairs sits
off to one side, near the loggia, providing a wonderful view of the backyard
during morning coffee.
Near the front door, a winding staircase leads to two guest suites and the
family library with wall-to-wall and ceiling-to-floor bookshelves, which
overlooks the main room. The winding staircase near the kitchen rises to the
master bedroom.
In the loggia sits a full-size gasoline car, one of the first made by Mercedes
Benz in 1900. It is a three-wheeled horseless carriage.
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