Sheldon “Shelly” Simon, Esq.

It is with tremendous sadness that we post our founder, mentor, and friend Sheldon “Shelly” Simon, Esq. passed at home surrounded by his loving family on November 13, 2022. Shelly created a long-lasting legacy as a pioneer in the legal field, and created a law firm where we were family, not just employees, colleagues and partners.

Obituary

Sheldon “Shelly” Simon, 81, a resident of Morristown, NJ, and a retired Attorney, died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on Nov 13, 2022. He was a beautiful soul and will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. Shelly was born in Newark, NJ, on January 12, 1941 to Minnie and Herbert Simon. He was married to Natalie (nee Krasner), his life-long love, for over 60 years. Together, they had a son, Andrew (partner, Cambron), of Chatham, NJ; a daughter, Erin Schwartz (husband, Darren), of Penn Valley, PA; a daughter, Geri Giller (husband, Ron) of Livingston, NJ; and three grandchildren, Reese and Macy Giller, and Bryson Schwartz. Shelly was predeceased by his beloved brother, Frederic, in 1983. Shelly graduated from Weequahic High School in 1958. He earned a BA from Rutgers University in 1963 and a JD from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1966. After law school, Shelly served as a law clerk to the Hon Edward F Broderick, Morris County Judge, as well as to the Hon Alexander P Waugh, Superior Court Judge of Morris County. In 1967, he joined the firm of Bangiola & Van Houten in Morris Plains, NJ, as well as serving as First Assistant Prosecutor for Morris County at age 27, the youngest ever in the state at that time. He quickly rose to full partner and practiced in that same location - 555 Speedwell Avenue, Morris Plains - for more than 50 years, before retiring at age 79. Shelly was President of the Morris County Bar Association in 1975 and was one of the first recipients of their Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2015, he received the Professional Lawyer of the Year Award from the NJ Commission on Professionalism in the Law, having been selected for being a “model of professional behavior during his entire legal career of more than 40 years and well recognized in the legal community for character, competence, and advocacy.” His practice focused on Family Law, and he Chaired the Family Law Committee for the Morris County Bar Association for eight terms. Shelly also served as a member of the Executive Section of the NJ State Bar Association, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and was one of the four charter members of the NJ Family Inns of Court. He was recognized in every edition of the Best Lawyers in America since its initial publication in the 1970s. For more than 30 years, Martindale-Hubbell, the preeminent organization that peer-reviews lawyers, awarded Shelly its “highest possible peer review rating in legal ability and ethical standards.” In both his professional and personal life, Shelly was fiercely committed to serving others and to the greater good. He guided his clients through the divorce process to limit adversarial interactions and kept them focused on their well-being and especially the well-being of any children. Some of his greatest professional joys came when participating in formalizing adoptions. Shelly was a member of the Board of Directors of the Hemlock Farms Community, Lords Valley, PA, for six years and a longstanding member of the Mendham Golf and Tennis Club. On weekends or after work, he could often be found unwinding on the driving range, but his favorite pastime was being with his family and friends. As a teenager, Shelly received the highly prestigious Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America. He also received the Silver Award from the Explorer Scouts, their highest attainable. Shelly was always active; he loved sports and the outdoors. He often traveled to and enjoyed our National Park System. A funeral service will be held at Bernheim-Apter-Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel, 68 Old Short Hills Rd, Livingston, NJ, on Wednesday, Nov 16, at 1pm. Contributions in his memory may be made to the National Park Foundation (www.nationalparks.org). His family encourages everyone to take a walk in the woods to honor his life.

His Obituary can also be read online here from the Daily Record.