Joanna L. Simon

Associate

San Diego, (858) 314-5456

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Education

Northeastern University (B.A., 2007)
;
University of San Diego School of Law (J.D., 2010)

Practices

Product Liability

Aviation + Aerospace

Pharmaceutical + Medical Device

Bar Admissions

California

Joanna Simon is an associate in the Litigation Department of Morrison & Foerster's San Diego office. Ms. Simon's practice involves product liability, aviation, pharmaceutical and general commercial matters. Ms. Simon represents clients in complex and multidistrict litigation, with an emphasis on aviation and pharmaceutical defense.

Ms. Simon received the Wiley W. Manuel Award from the California State Bar for her pro bono contributions in 2011 and 2012. She is an active member of Athena San Diego serving as co-chair of the Associate Special Interest Group.

Ms. Simon received her J.D., magna cum laude, in 2010 from the University of San Diego School of Law, where she was elected Order of the Coif. During law school, Ms. Simon was chief student comments editor of the San Diego International Law Journal, and a member of the San Diego Appellate Moot Court Executive Board. Ms. Simon also worked as a judicial extern for the Honorable Thomas J. Whelan in the Southern District of California, and the Honorable Lawrence E. Kahn in the Northern District of New York. Ms. Simon received her B.A., magna cum laude, from Northeastern University in 2007.

Alaska Airlines Flight 694 (Ginena)

Scored a defense verdict for Alaska Airlines in a case brought by a group of first-class passengers who were removed from Alaska Airlines Flight 694 on September 20, 2003. The flight was headed from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Las Vegas but diverted to Reno in order to remove the passengers. We obtained summary judgment of several claims based on the Warsaw Convention, but the remaining claims proceeded to trial. After a three-week trial, the jury of seven returned a unanimous defense verdict on all counts.

Silvey v. Cessna Aircraft Company, et al.

Represented Cessna Aircraft Company in a wrongful death case that arose out of the crash of a Cessna 208B aircraft on November 8, 2002 near Parks, Arizona. Four people, including the pilot, died when the airplane struck the ground at high speed after plummeting from an altitude of 15,000 feet in clouds and icing conditions. After a four-week jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division, we secured a “take nothing” verdict in favor of Cessna.

Heparin Litigation

Serving as national counsel in numerous cases filed around the United States, alleging side effects from heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (“HIT”). Our client is the largest manufacturer of heparin, a prescription injectable blood coagulant often used in hemodialysis and cardiac invasive procedures.

In re Reglan/Metoclopramide Litigation

Representing a major generic pharmaceutical company in hundreds of lawsuits (comprising more than 2,000 individual claims) that have been filed in numerous jurisdictions around the United States, alleging that Reglan/metoclopramide (when prescribed off-label for psychiatric purposes) causes significant side effects and damages health. The cases are pending in mass tort proceedings in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and California.

Cessna Caravan 208 Icing Accidents

Representing Cessna Aircraft Company as national coordinating counsel in individual personal injury and wrongful death cases pending in various jurisdictions in the United States arising from accidents involving Cessna Caravan 208 aircraft flown in alleged icing conditions.