Biography
Leonard H. Simon is a member of the Texas State Bar in good standing due to his experience, reputation, and ability as an attorney. He is Board Certified in Business Bankruptcy Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has over 30 years of experience litigating in matters relating to, real estate, corporate matters, insolvency, reorganization, and bankruptcy law.
Mr. Simon has earned numerous honors and distinctions throughout his legal career. After graduating at the top of his class from South Texas College of Law, Mr. Simon was inducted into the Order of the Lytae, an honorary fraternity that recognizes outstanding academic achievement. The Texas Super Lawyer directory, an index of attorneys who exhibit excellence in the practice of law, listed Mr. Simon as a Texas Super Lawyer for 7 consecutive years-from 2008 through 2014. Finally, Martindale gave Mr. Simon an AV Preeminent rating for his many years at Pendergraft & Simon, LLP, a testament to the fact that his peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence.
Mr. Simon has handled the legal affairs of many prestigious clients in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City, including Monterey House Restaurant Chain, Dr. Denton Cooley, Birra Porettis Restaurant Chain, several mega real estate projects owned by Harold Farb, Energy Exchange Corporation (a New York Stock Exchange oil and gas company), Nelson Bunker Hunt Trust, and numerous other filings. He has experience representing debtors, secured creditors, unsecured creditors, creditors’ committees, and trustees in large chapter 11 cases.
Mr. Simon is also engaged in a commercial litigation practice-first-chairing 6 commercial litigation cases tried to a jury verdict. One of those cases was a 16-day jury trial in federal court involving a quarter of a billion dollar claim against former officers and directors of Livingwell, which he litigated to a successful conclusion after an unfavorable jury verdict. Another was a state court case in San Antonio involving a securities fraud suit on behalf of numerous investors in a fraudulent investment scheme. The case was tried for 26 days and resulted in a favorable verdict judgment as to one defendant. A third was a usury lawsuit tried for 6 days to a favorable verdict and a $2,000,000 dollar judgment, which was reversed on appeal.
Most notably, Mr. Simon handled the Timbers of Inwood case, an important bankruptcy case which he appealed all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. He argued the case before the justices and won in a unanimous decision.
Education
- South Texas College of Law Houston, Houston, Texas
- Juris Doctorate – 1977
- Honors: Order of Lytae
- Honors: With Honors
- George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
- Bachelor of Arts in Economics – 1972
- Honors: business manager, south texas law review
Published Works
- The Abolition of the Assumption of Risk Defenses in Texas: Farley v. M.M. Cattle Co., South Texas Law Journal, Volume 17-2, 1976
Professional Associations
- Houston Bar Association, Member
- American Bar Association, Member
- State Bar of Texas, Member
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Member
- College of the State Bar of Texas for the Year 2000, Member
- American Bankruptcy Institute, Member
Practice Areas
- Commercial Litigation
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 1977
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
- U.S. Federal Courts, 1977
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1983
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Northern District of Texas
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Southern District of Texas
Certified Legal Specialties
- Board Certified in Business Bankruptcy Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Honors
- Texas Super Lawyer, 2008 – 2014, 2019
- AV Preeminent rating
