Background

Michael is a member of MDSimon LTD. He has an extensive litigation practice that centers on employment issues, real estate and real property law as well as commercial and business disputes. He practices before the federal and state courts both here in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. He has been appointed as a judge, arbitrator as well as mediator in various courts both here and in California, and has a significant degree of ‘hand on’ experience with all types of alternative dispute resolution. He has handled jury trials as well as bench trials through verdict in both courts of law and equity and a very broad array of court hearings of all types, in both civil court and before administrative tribunals. He has handled all phases of trial and its preparation and has deep experience in conducting appropriate discovery and taking as well as defending depositions in both state and federal proceedings.

For over thirty years, Michael has represented clients in all types of proceedings from trial, to negotiations, to preparation and review of significant documents in addition to legal research using state of the art tools and methods. Having been trained as a journalist in college, he has superior writing skills which come into play continually in his practice.

Michael regularly advises both companies and individuals on wide array of employment issues, ranging from wage and hour matters, to review of non-competition agreements, to counseling regarding employee handbooks and policies, to advice regarding potential claims and defenses on a wide array of legal topics.

He has litigated complex issues that include a variety of class actions that involve wage and hour as well as discrimination issues, in addition to jury and non-jury trials ranging from tort law, violations of contracts, quiet title to real estate. Further, he has litigated significant matters before the Orphans court involving the guardianship rights, ownership of estate property and other issues.

Additionally, Michael is a regular speaker at a variety of Continuing Legal Education seminars and for over fifteen years has been an adjunct professor at Duquesne Law School, where he was responsible for the formation of the Unemployment Compensation Clinic.

In addition to his practice, Michael regularly volunteers to help Neighborhood Legal Services with their cases, and he performs an extensive amount of pro bono pubblico work for the indigent. Michael was one of the first volunteer attorneys in the Juvenile Court system that was regularly called upon to represent children in various types of dependency proceedings.

Professional Experience and Employment History:

Education: 1979 B.A. Cum Laude University of Pittsburgh

1980 J.D. Duquesne University

2014 to 2023 Roe & Simon LLC, Pittsburgh, PA: Litigation practice in Federal and State Courts focusing on employment matters including wage and hour, discrimination law, as well as commercial disputes.

 May, 1994 to Present: Law Office of Michael D. Simon, Esq., Litigation practice in commercial, business, labor and employment matters in State and Federal Courts.

November, 1988 to July, 1993: Stephen S. Monroe, A.P.C., Century City, Los Angeles, CA. Litigation of commercial, real property, labor and business matters in all State and Federal Courts. Significant experience in US. Bankruptcy Court in adversary matters, collection of assets in complicated cases involving attorney debtors for the Chapter 7 trustee. Extensive trial practice.

1991 to 1993: Court appointed arbitrator for the Compton, Los Cerritos, South Gate and Southeast Municipal Courts in Los Angeles, County.

1985 to 1988: Allred, Maroko, Goldberg & Ribakoff, in Los Angeles, CA. Employment law and a unique civil rights practice primarily involving typically Fortune 100 corporate defendants, as well as commercial and business law. Extensive litigation practice in State and Federal Courts in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties.

1983 to 1985: Law Office of Michael D. Simon, Esq. Tort law and criminal defense. Trial practice in all State and Federal Courts.

1981 to 1983: Weaver, Willman, Simon & Arnold, in Pittsburgh, PA. Personal injury, domestic relations and criminal defense. Extensive subrogation work. Heavy trial practice in all Courts.

Pro Bono Publico:

2023 Hearing committee member for the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

2023 Pennsylvania Legal Assistance Network award for “Best Pro Bono Advocate”.

1996-present: Referral attorney for Neighborhood Legal Services

 2011:  PA Bar Association Award for Public Service for operation of the Duquesne University’s Law School’s Unemployment Compensation Law Clinic

2007 to 2010: Member Monroeville Personnel Board

 1999 to 2006: Member Monroeville Human Relations Commission

1997 to 2003: Board member of Neighborhood Legal Services

2007 to present: Member of Alternative Dispute Resolution panel for U.S. District Court, W.D. PA

1994 to 2006: Adjunct Settlement Judge, U.S. District Court, W.D. PA

1990 to 1994: Judge pro tem for Pomona Superior Court and for the Los Angeles Municipal Courts (infraction trials, small claims, small claims appeals, traffic trials).

1992 to 1994: Mediator for the Los Angeles Superior Courts in commercial and tort claims

1990 to 1994: Volunteer supervisor and mentor for the Labor Defense Clinics of the Legal Aid Society for Los Angeles (supervised law students handling unemployment claims and California Labor Code violations).

Teaching Experience:

1997 to 2023:  Adjunct Professor of Law at Duquesne University Law School and Supervising Attorney for the Law School’s Unemployment Compensation Law Clinic.

2010 to present:   Frequent lecturer, presenter and panel participant of CLE programs sponsored by Neighborhood Legal Association, Duquesne University Law School, the Allegheny County Bar Association and the Community College of Allegheny County involving unemployment compensation case preparation and reviews of decisional law as well as other topics.

Education:

1974 B.A. Cum Laude University of Pittsburgh

1980 J.D. Duquense University

Other Significant Experience:

1976 to 1978: Staff investigator primarily assigned to discrimination in housing for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission administering the PA Human Relations Act and as a deferral agency for HUD complaints under the FHA.

1975-1976: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh. Community Security Organizer assigned to St. Clair Village.

Personal Interests:

Reading, writing and speaking Italian, cooking and travel.