Three Alumni, Friends and Colleagues Working Together at the Simon Law Group
August 4, 2014
Less than a year after entering trial practice, TJSL Alumni, friends and colleagues Sevy Fisher ‘13, Brandon Simon ‘13 and Greyson M. Goody ‘13, have completed seven trials and won nearly 3 million in jury verdicts with The Simon Law Group.
“We get to represent people that really can’t stand up for themselves against insurance companies that have countless resources,” Simon says of his work as a plaintiff’s litigator. “Being able to stand up for these people and showing them they do have a reason to fight makes the stress and the long hours worth it.”
It was Simon’s twin brothers who founded The Simon Law Group in 2009 and inspired him to attend TJSL where he met Fisher and Goody. “Sevy, Greyson, and I became very good friends during our studies. Sevy and I would play golf together every week and Greyson and I were on the same recreational basketball team,” Simon recalled. While Simon and Fisher joined The Simon Law Group as law clerks it was not until March 2014 that Goody was offered a position.
“After graduation, I got a job offer from a local San Diego firm I interned at my last year in law school,” Goody elaborated. “While I was thankful to have the job, I was constantly on the lookout to find something that was a better fit.” Grateful, Goody acknowledged that the opportunity for a “better fit” came when Simon and Fisher graciously recommended him to the Simon Law Group. For this group of friends working together has proved to be a winning combination, Fisher recognized, “I know most attorneys don’t find their dream jobs right out of law school, but I believe I am the exception rather than the general rule.”
Since its inception, The Simon Law Group has focused on personal injury which is characterized by representing the “little guy” and whose returns come in the form of contingency fees. “Personal injury is an addicting area of law because it is contingent and incentive based,” Fisher explained. “Personal injury is like gambling. You do work on a contingency fee basis, throw down your own money to go to trial, and you can lose a lot if you don’t win. On the other hand, the rewards for winning can be crazy huge. I work best when I have something “riding on the line” and I feel like it brings out the best in me.”
For Goody, experience in corporate defense allowed him to appreciate the significance of his job now, “The most rewarding part of my job is representing the people who can’t afford big time lawyers. These are the people who deserve the representation the most; they are injured, can’t work, and have families that they need to support. Accordingly, it is a true pleasure to represent them.”
Networking as a law student, not only with established attorneys but with peers, has been the key to these gentlemen’s success. “Make as many friends in law school as you can – you never know what types of connections you make and who will be your colleague in the future,” Simon emphasized.
“Despite the rigors of law school, it is pale in comparison to actually practicing law,” Goody reflected. “As such, every student should prepare themselves by interning and getting as much experience as possible to help them in the real world. Go watch experienced attorneys doing what you want to be able to one day achieve,” Fisher added. “It will motivate you to be that much better by watching somebody else do what you are passionate about.” To those graduates studying and sitting for the bar, Simon’s advice is, “Don’t pay attention to any sort of statistics or bar pass rates – YOU and only YOU decide who passes the bar.”
In addition to sharing their friendship and good fortune as litigators, Simon and Goody, as groomsmen, joined Fisher in celebrating his wedding.