Clayton Simms

Bar / Professional Activity

• Member, New Lawyer CLE Committee, 1999-2003
• Utah Supreme Court Committee on Professionalism, 2004-2008
• Ex-Officio Member, Utah State Bar Commission, 2002-2004
• Litigation Exec. Committee, Utah State Bar Association, 2002-2004
• The National Trial Lawyers Association, Top 100 Utah Trial Lawyers
• Member, Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1999-Present
• Co-vice chair, Utah State Bar Criminal Law Section, 2004-2006
• Fellow, American Board of Criminal Lawyers, 2007 - Present
• David K. Watkiss, Inn of Courts, 2003-Present
• President, Utah Minority Bar Association, 2001-2002
• Voting Member, Utah Bail Bond Board, 2007-Present

Pro bono / Community Service

• Salt Lake Juvenile Defense, Jan 2011 - Present
• Utah Bail Bonds Information
• Salt Lake Criminal Defense
• Attorney Volunteer, Court Alternative Treatment Program, 1999 - 2003

Educational Background

• University of Houston, Bachelor of Business Administration, Honors: Intern in the Washington, D. C. office for U. S. Congressman Jose E. Serrano Austin Tutor Program Volunteer, Dean's List, Academic Excellence Scholarship, Worked in Washington, D.C. for Congressman Jose E. Serrano, 1993

Scholarly Lectures / Writings

• Presented at the Summer Bar Convention in San Diego on Social Media and Lawyers.  The focus of the presentation was Professionalism/Ethics and what lawyers can and cannot do. Ethical tips and guidance on what is not just permissible, but what is the best practice., Speaker, Utah State Bar Summer Convention: Social Media and Attorneys, 2022
• The Places You'll Go, Panelist, Utah State Bar, 2005
• Law & Government Class/ Workplace Mentor Program, Guest Speaker, Salt Lake City Mayor's Office, 2005
• What Every Civil Attorney Should Know About Criminal Law.  Presented in New Orleans, Louisiana., Presenter, 2009
• Ethics in Plea Bargaining, Presenter, Utah State Bar- Spring Convention In St. George, 2012
• Utah Fall Forum, Immigration Issues and Criminal Defense., Panel Member, 2009
• A Frank Discussion of Criminal Defense. A Lifestyle. A Calling. A Vocation, University of Utah, College of Law, 2013
• State and Federal Criminal Law Sentencing, University of Utah, College of Law, Judicial Process, 2012
• State and Federal Criminal Law Sentencing, University of Utah, College of Law, Judicial Process
• State and Federal Criminal Law Sentencing, University of Utah, College of Law, Judicial Process, 2013
• I Fought the Law and I Won, DUI Defense, Presenter, Utah State Bar New Lawyer CLE, 2001
• Pledge for Racial and Ethnic Diversity for Utah's Legal Employers, Presenter, Racial and Ethnic Task Force Committee, 2002
• Fourth Amendment, Searches and Seizures, Guest Lecturer, Brigham Young University, 2003
• Open House: How to get into Law School, Presenter, Brigham Young University J. Ruben Clark School of Law, 2003
• Basics on Criminal Law, Lecturer, Utah State Bar New Lawyer CLE, 2003
• Racial Profiling, Presenter, University of Utah, MECFIA Conference, 2003
• Brown v. Board of Education, 50 Years Later, Salt Lake City Library, 2004
• Brown v. Board of Education, With All Deliberate Speed, Panelist, University of Utah, 2004
• Freedom From Gun Violence, Forum Panelist, Salt Lake City Freedom Forum, 2004
• Criminal Law and Illegal Searches & Seizures, Guest Lecturer, BYU, J. Ruben Clark School of Law (Professor Margueritte Driessen), 2004
• Reality Town Career Day, Guest Speaker, Union Middle School, 2005

Honors

• Super Lawyer, Criminal Defense, 2012 - 2015
• Legal Elite in Criminal Law, Utah Business Magazine, 2005 - 2019
• Top 10 Criminal Attorneys in Utah, National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys, 2014
• Lawyer of the Year, Utah Minority Bar Association, 2008
• Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Utah, National Trial Lawyers Association, 2010 - 2017

Awards

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Avvo Client's Choice Award: This award is granted to attorneys with at least 5 reviews with 4+ stars in a given year on Avvo.com