He graduated from Manhattan College in 1926; and from Fordham University School of Law in 1929.
In January 1949, Quinn became a Judge on New York City's Municipal Court.
In 1960, Quinn was elected a justice of the New York Supreme Court, and remained on the bench until his death.
Quinn died on December 23, 1974, in the Bronx; and was buried at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Hackensack, New Jersey.
His son Peter Quinn is an author whose works include 2007's Looking for Jimmy: A Search for Irish America.