Simon is a professor of law at Sydney Law School, and has previously been at at the ANU College of Law, Macquarie University and the University of NSW. Simon holds undergraduate degrees in arts (political science) and law, and a master’s degree in education. After a short period in private commercial practice he has worked extensively as a poverty lawyer, board member and manager in a number of community legal centres. He has been awarded a Medal in the Order of Australia for legal services to the economically and socially disadvantaged.
Simon has been Director of the NSW Law and Justice Foundation, President of Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, a Board member of the NSW Legal Aid Commission, a consultant to the NSW Law Reform Commission, a judicial member of the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal, Chair of the ACT Law Reform Advisory Council, and legal adviser to the federal Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights.
His areas of expertise include human rights law, anti-discrimination law, law reform, access to justice, and legal education. His publications inlcude the co-authored texts 'Australian Anti-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Law', and 'The International Law of Human Rights'.
Medal in the Order of Australia