Craig S. Simon 1953 -- 2024

Craig S. Simon, the managing partner of Berger Kahn who represented subrogation plaintiffs in California's wildfire litigation, has died. He was 71.

Simon died on Saturday following a brief illness, his family said.

"My dad was an absolutely incredible human," Rebecca Simon Green, a legal profession consultant, said. She said watching her father work had inspired her to go to law school.

"One of his colleagues told me that in one of his court appearances, a judge who had seen him do several subrogation litigations called my dad on the record, the 'Subro King.' Because it was on the record, my dad cut it out and stuck it on the wall in his office," she recalled.

Christine L. Forsline, who leads Berger Kahn's Wildfire Practice and had known Simon since she was a child, said he mentored her and had a profound impact on her career. "I've been at Craig's side, starting at his shoes all the way till I became a partner," Forsline said. "He truly is one of the few people I've ever met that I believe has made every person's life he touched better."

Born in Los Angeles on April 23, 1953, Simon inherited his mother's entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to family, according to family members. He graduated from UCLA and Loyola Law School. He built a career representing insurers in mass litigation and was widely recognized as one of the nation's top subrogation attorneys.

He secured a $2.2 billion settlement between Southern California Edison and more than 100 insurance companies that had compensated losses from the 2018 Woolsey Fire, which burned 97,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and destroyed more than 1,600 structures. Woolsey Fire Cases, JCCP5000 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed Jan. 17, 2019).

For that case, he received several accolades including from the Daily Journal and California Lawyer magazine.

"He was always passionate about being a good lawyer. He was a master at it. It came to him so naturally," said Allen Michel, an attorney and Simon's college roommate. "I watched one time as he was cross-examining the other side's expert, it was just fun to watch. He knew exactly how to do it."

Sue Muncey, Simon's paralegal for more than 30 years, praised his ability to recognize and nurture talent. "The man was just a powerhouse, one of the brightest people I've ever met," she said. "He never looked at me like just a paralegal. He let me do things and be a part of cases in such a way that was so incredible. I don't know anyone else who would have given me that opportunity."

Despite his busy practice, Simon always made time for play. He loved loud rap music, fast driving, and could pull all-nighters at the office when needed. Other passions included skiing, white water rafting and scuba diving.

Simon is survived by his wife of 50 years, Joan; their children Rebecca (Jarrett), Hannah (Jeff), and David (Anna); three grandchildren; his brothers Steven (Esperanza) and Daniel (Annie); sister-in-law Elaine (Jean-Loup); and mother-in-law Shirley, who is 101 years old.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, Aug. 19, at 1 pm, at Mount Sinai Memorial Parks & Mortuaries, Hollywood Hills, Tanach Chapel. A livestream will be available. The family plans to host an additional celebration of life in the coming weeks.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to a charity of choice in Simon's honor, reflecting his lifelong commitment to generosity and community service.