About Law Offices of Matthew J. Quinlan · San Francisco
The Law Offices of Matthew J. Quinlan (MJQLAW) is a San Francisco plaintiff-side personal injury and fire-claims law firm founded in 2011 by attorney Matthew J. Quinlan. The firm exclusively represents injured individuals and families — never insurance companies or large corporations — handling car, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, public transit (MUNI, BART, AC Transit), dog bite, wrongful death, and house/wildfire destruction cases. Matt Quinlan is the lead attorney on every case and works on a contingency-fee basis, so clients pay nothing unless money is recovered.
The Law Offices of Matthew J. Quinlan has built a reputation across the San Francisco Bay Area as a focused, plaintiff-only personal injury practice. Founder Matthew J. (Matt) Quinlan earned his J.D. in 2004 from the University of San Francisco School of Law on an academic scholarship, where he served on the USF Law Review, earned a CALI Award for top marks in Contracts, and competed in Moot Court. After graduating he joined a well-established personal injury firm; by 2007 — just three years out of law school — he had been named its youngest partner and was called 'the youngest partner at an established plaintiff's firm in [California] and one of the country's fastest rising plaintiff attorneys.' In 2011, Matt left to open his own shop so he could serve clients more directly. He is admitted to the California State Bar (License #236507, admitted June 1, 2005), and is active in the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (SFTLA), Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), and the American Association for Justice (AAJ), where he has served on the Boards of Governors – NLD since 2005. The firm holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. The second attorney is Daniel R. (Dan) Aguilar, who began as a part-time law clerk at the firm in 2013 while earning his J.D. at USF School of Law (graduating in 2014 with a CALI Award in Settlements) and joined the firm full-time the same year. Dan earned his B.A. in Political Science (concentration in Public Law) from UC San Diego in 2009. The firm has recovered tens of millions of dollars for clients and publishes detailed case-result write-ups on its website, including a $660,000 wrongful-death settlement against the City and County of San Francisco over a MUNI bus fatality, a $550,000 auto case built on the Lobo v. Tamco 'going-and-coming' exception, and a $535,000 products-liability settlement against a tire maker after a rollover in Mexico. In addition to Bay Area injury work, the firm is currently representing victims of the Eaton Fire in Southern California in claims against private utility companies. Matt lives in Marin County with his wife and three children.
- In business
- Founded 2011; Matt Quinlan has been practicing plaintiff personal injury law since 2005
- Owner
- Matthew J. Quinlan (founder and lead attorney)
- Serves
- San Francisco Bay Area (including Marin, the Peninsula, East Bay, and North Bay); California state-wide for fire/wildfire claims (currently active in Eaton Fire litigation in Southern California); California State Bar admitted
- Rating
- 4.9 stars across approximately 48–58 Google reviews (TrustAnalytica lists 48 reviews; LegalRank lists 58); Avvo 5.0 client rating; BBB A+
About the Firm
The Law Offices of Matthew J. Quinlan is a San Francisco plaintiff-side personal injury and fire-claims firm that has represented injured individuals and families since 2011. According to the firm's About page, 'Matt has won numerous awards for his skill and dedication,' the firm has earned an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and Matt Quinlan personally leads every case — clients are never 'handed off' to another attorney. The firm deliberately stays on the plaintiff side: 'Matt only represents individuals and families and never represents insurance companies or big business.' Past clients regularly report that once they hired the firm 'a huge weight was lifted off their shoulders,' allowing them to focus on recovery while the legal team handled everything else.
Founder — Matthew J. Quinlan
Matt Quinlan founded the firm in 2011 after spending his early career at a well-established personal injury practice. He was admitted to the California State Bar in 2005 and has been helping Bay Area injury victims since. The firm bio describes him as 'extremely entrepreneurial' and notes his preference for 'the culture of a plaintiff's firm and its small-business feel, pressures and intimacies.'
- Admitted to California State Bar, June 1, 2005 (License #236507) — Active
- J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law, 2004 — academic scholarship
- Two-year member, USF Law Review
- CALI Award (Top Student), Contracts
- Active in Moot Court Program and the Intellectual Property Association at USF
- B.S. Business Administration, minor in Philosophy, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 2000
- Dean's List and American Marketing Association board member at Cal Poly
- Who's Who of American High School Students (1995) and Who's Who of American Law School Students (2003)
- Youngest partner at an established California plaintiff's firm by 2007
- Contestant on CBS's Survivor (2012); once won a car from Bob Barker on The Price Is Right (2007)
- Die-hard Chicago Cubs fan — attended Game 7 of the 2016 World Series
- Co-founder of The Hilltop Club connecting USF Dons Basketball players with local charities through NIL deals
- Lives in Marin County with his wife and three children; Bay Area resident since 2000
Attorney — Daniel R. Aguilar
Daniel R. Aguilar began working at the Law Offices of Matthew J. Quinlan in 2013 as a part-time law clerk while still a student at the University of San Francisco School of Law. He continued through USF's Externship Program in 2014 and joined the firm full-time upon graduation that same year, becoming an indispensable member of the litigation team.
- B.A. Political Science (Public Law concentration), UC San Diego, 2009
- J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law, 2014
- CALI Award (Top Student), Settlements
- Coursework focused on personal injury litigation: Negotiations, Insurance Law, Civil Discovery, and Settlements
- Began at the firm as a part-time law clerk in 2013; full-time since 2014
- The firm is an approved employer with USF Law's Career Services Department
Types of Cases We Handle
The firm's practice is intentionally narrow: it represents individuals injured in accidents and victims of fires. The website states the team 'have seen it all,' and publishes representative settlements so prospective clients can gauge the firm's track record.
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Public transportation accidents (MUNI, BART, AC Transit, and others)
- Dog bites
- Wrongful death actions
- House fire / structure fire claims
- Wildfire claims — including active representation of Eaton Fire victims in Southern California
- Consumer products liability / mass torts
Selected Bay Area Settlements & Verdicts
The firm's website highlights representative results. Three published case studies illustrate the range of work:
- $660,000 — Wrongful-death settlement against the City and County of San Francisco after a 90-year-old client was dragged and run over by a MUNI bus when his raincoat became caught in a prematurely closed door.
- $550,000 — Auto accident settlement built on the Lobo v. Tamco (2010) 182 Cal.App.4th 297 'going-and-coming' exception, defeating summary judgment against the employer of an at-fault lab technician.
- $535,000 — Products-liability settlement against a tire manufacturer and a Bay Area vehicle-service company after a rollover in Mexico caused severe arm injuries; the client had previously been offered only $5,000 while self-represented.
- Firm-wide: 'tens of millions' recovered for clients since 2005 (per firm website).
Benefits of Hiring Us
The firm's positioning rests on three pillars: a no-win-no-fee fee structure, direct access to the lead attorney, and a strictly plaintiff-side practice that never works for insurers or corporations.
- Contingency-fee representation — clients pay nothing up front and owe nothing if no recovery is made
- Matt Quinlan personally leads every case
- Plaintiffs-only — the firm 'never represents insurance companies or big business'
- Free initial consultation: 415-345-4282
- BBB A+ rating
- Team-based case handling under the lead attorney's direction
Wildfire Claims (Eaton Fire)
Beyond traditional personal injury, the firm devotes a portion of its practice to fire-claims litigation. The website specifically announces that MJQLAW is 'representing Eaton Fire victims in Southern CA' and that the team 'specialize[s] in suing private utility companies for wildfire destruction caused by their negligence.' Matt Quinlan's bio adds that he 'represents fire victims in claims against those responsible for causing/starting a devastating fire.'
- Active Eaton Fire litigation in Southern California
- Suing private utility companies whose equipment allegedly caused wildfire destruction
- House fire and structure fire claims for those who lost homes and/or possessions
- Coverage disputes against insurance carriers for fire losses
Affiliations & Professional Memberships
Matt Quinlan remains active in the leading plaintiff-bar organizations in California and nationally, and has served on the American Association for Justice's New Lawyers Division Board of Governors continuously since 2005.
- California Bar Association — member in good standing (License #236507)
- San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (SFTLA) — member
- Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) — member
- American Association for Justice (AAJ) — member; Boards of Governors – NLD, 2005–present
- University of San Francisco Dons Basketball community — season ticket holder; co-founder of The Hilltop Club
Contact & Consultation
The firm invites prospective clients to call for a free, no-obligation consultation. Office hours are not published; contact is by phone or the contact form on the website.
- Phone: 415-345-4282
- Email: [email protected]
- Fax: 415-346-8987
- Office: 3223 Webster Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
- Website: https://www.mjqlaw.com/contact/
- Free consultation offered on every case