Overview
Rachel E. Simon concentrates her practice on complex litigation matters on behalf of individuals, businesses, and entities in both the public and private sectors. She has represented clients before every level of the Federal and New Jersey State courts, including the United States Supreme Court and New Jersey Supreme Court. Rachel is sought after for her legal analysis, commercial practicality, and creative problem-solving. She serves as second trial chair to Pashman Stein partner Raymond M. Brown. Recently, she has been counseling public entities in COVID-19 emergency response, as well as managing their COVID-related litigation.
On a pro bono basis, Rachel co-founded and co-led the Leadership Fellows Program at Seton Hall University School of Law with Professor Paula Franzese. As Volunteer Assistant Director, she has guided student projects in coordination with the District Courts of New Jersey and U.S. Attorney’s Office on the Federal prisoner reentry program (ReNew), with municipal police departments to combat the opioid crisis, with Newark clergy on pressing immigration issues, and with nonprofits on addressing human trafficking.
While in law school, Rachel assisted the U.S. Department of Defense in the defense of the perpetrators of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and attended multiple trial proceedings at the Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Her work on the use of emerging technologies on wartime evidence-gathering was used by the Department of Defense trial teams at Guantanamo, as well as submitted to the D.C. Court of Appeals in habeas proceedings, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on behalf of detainees, and published in whitepapers by the Center for Policy and Research.
Rachel is the co-author of “AI and the Young Attorney: What to Prepare for and How to Prepare,” published as the cover story of the January 2019 American Bar Association magazine Landslide.
Prior to her legal career, Rachel was a professional trumpet player based in New York City. She received her undergraduate degree with honors from The Juilliard School, and has performed, recorded, and toured with, among others, Kanye West, Jon Batiste, Diana Ross, Jethro Tull, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Verbier (Switzerland) Festival Orchestra, New World Orchestra, International Contemporary Ensemble, and various Broadway shows.
Recognition
Honors & Recognitions
- Co-Founder and Volunteer Associate Director of the Leadership Fellows Program, Seton Hall University School of Law
- Selected for inclusion in the list of New Jersey Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2022-2023
- Selected for inclusion in the list of Best Lawyers, Ones to Watch, Commercial Litigation, 2023, 2024
The Best Lawyers list is issued by Woodward/White, Inc. A description of the selection methodology can be found at https://www.bestlawyers.com/About/MethodologyBasic.aspx.
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
The Rising Stars list is issued by Thomson Reuters. A description of the selection methodology can be found at http://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection_process.html.
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
News & Insights
News
Speaking Engagements
Associations
Community & Professional
- New Jersey State Bar Association
- Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey
- John C. Lifland American Inn of Court
- New Jersey Women Lawyers Association
Practice Areas
Bar Admissions
- New Jersey
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
Education
B.M., The Juilliard School, New York, NY, 2007, cum laude
J.D., Seton Hall School of Law, 2014, cum laude