We have some unfortunate news to report out of the Los Angeles, California, legal community, where a partner who served as general counsel and national securities practice chair of Quinn Emanuel recently passed away in an out-of-state accident.
Harry Olivar, 62, was killed in a Georgia car crash that also claimed the life of his stepson, David Jackson. Olivar’s wife, Leigh, was hospitalized after sustaining serious injuries in the accident.
As noted by the American Lawyer, Olivar, a Harvard Law School graduate, joined the elite firm as a partner in 2000, and was appointed as the firm’s general counsel about a decade later.
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In a touching memoriam message, Quinn Emanuel’s leaders offered the following statements on their colleague’s untimely passing:
“We are devastated by the loss of our partner and friend, Harry Olivar. Harry was an exceptional lawyer and an even more exceptional human being who profoundly impacted our firm, our clients, and the broader legal community. We will always think of him as the heart and part of the essential fabric of our firm,” said William Burck, Co-Managing Partner of the firm and Co-Chair of the firm’s Government and White Collar Criminal Defense Practice.
“We tragically lost one of life’s greatest individuals. Harry was a gentle giant who was brilliant, devoted, always upbeat, and always willing to help anyone at the firm, whether partner, associate, or staff. He was a mentor to many and a loyal friend to us all. No one ever had anything negative to say about Harry, and all who knew him loved him. The enormity of this loss has yet to sink in,” said Michael Carlinsky, Co-Managing Partner of the firm and Global Head of Complex Litigation.
Los Angeles co-managing partner Christopher Tayback, who was also Olivar’s law school classmate, had this to say about his friend’s death in an an interview with Am Law:
“Harry was a guy who never said, ‘I don’t have time’ or ‘I can’t deal with that’ or even ‘Can you come back later?’ You could go into his office, and you could not only get him, you’d get the best of him, his undivided attention, in a way I can only wish I can replicate,” Tayback said in an interview. “He was never judgy…we all learn from our mistakes, but Harry was really about service, fixing and addressing the problem and not looking to blame or cast judgment in any way.”
“It made him a more desirable counselor, not just for me, but for everybody,” he said.
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Olivar is survived by his wife and four sons, Jordan Olivar, David Olivar, Harry Olivar III, and Robert Jackson.
We here at Above the Law would like to extend our condolences to Harry Olivar’s family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.
Quinn Emanuel General Counsel Killed in Georgia Car Crash [American Lawyer]
Quinn Emanuel Mourns the Passing of Harry A. Olivar, Jr. [Quinn Emanuel]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.