Practice areas: Criminal Defense, White Collar Crimes; view more
Licensed in Utah since: 1998
Education: University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2009 - 2025 Call today:
801-359-0404
Clayton Simms, LLC
9 Exchange PlSuite 600
Salt Lake City, UT 84111 Visit website
Details
Attorney Clayton Simms has been recognized by Super Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers Association and Utah Business magazine as one of the top criminal defense attorneys in Utah. The criminal justice system rewards defendants who truly fight their cases and don’t just plead guilty quickly. Having tried over 160+ jury trials, filed a multitude of motions to suppress and motions to dismiss, Clayton seeks out the weaknesses in the prosecutor’s cases.
Clayton helps people charged with both Federal and Utah state cases, and represents people in matters ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, including Murder, Fraud, Sex Offenses, Theft, DUI, Drug Distribution and Drug Possession.
Clayton Simms graduated with business degree from the University of Houston and worked for Congressman J. E. Serrano in Washington, D.C. He then obtained a law degree from the University of Utah, where he was a Borchard Scholar and played on the University of Utah Soccer Club team. Clayton Simms has the distinction of being a Fellow in the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, which requires at least 100 jury trials and not guilty verdicts in more than five First Degree Felony Offenses, which the defendant faced a life in prison sentence.
He has lectured at many Utah State Bar functions, Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office, Brigham Young University’s Law School and the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney Law School.
“Difficult is Done at Once, The Impossible Takes a Little Longer.”
Practice areas
Criminal Defense, Criminal Defense: White CollarFocus areas
Assault & Battery, Criminal Domestic Violence, Criminal Fraud, Criminal Law, Criminal Law - Federal, Drug & Alcohol Violations, Felony, Misdemeanor, Murder, Sex Offenses, Theft, White Collar Crime
- 90% Criminal Defense
- 10% Criminal Defense: White Collar
First Admitted: 1998, Utah
Professional Webpage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claytonsimms/
- 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
- Salt Lake Juvenile Defense, Jan 2011 - Present
- Utah Bail Bonds Information
- Salt Lake Criminal Defense
- Attorney Volunteer, Court Alternative Treatment Program, 1999 - 2003
- 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
- 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
- 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
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2009 - 2025
