The initial foundation of what is today, Porter Simon, Professional Corporation, was formed in 1969. Current partner, Jim Porter, joined the "country casual" firm in 1973 fresh from San Francisco's Hastings College of Law.* A few years later, Porter met current partner, Jim Simon, while skiing at one of the local Tahoe resorts. Simon, also a Hastings alum, was working in the litigation department of a large, Oakland firm and jumped at the opportunity to join a more community focused legal environment. They shared a 'work hard, play hard' mentality focused on providing the very best in legal services. Within three years Jim Porter and Jim Simon were partners of the newly structured law firm housed on Commercial Row in charming downtown Truckee.
Our firm has changed and grown over the years shadowing the booming Truckee community. Along the way, the remaining partners, Peter H. Cuttitta, Kelley R. Carroll, Steven C. Gross, Stephen C. Lieberman, and Kenneth P. Craig, joined the foray to build Truckee's largest, most prominent law firm. A trip down memory lane reveals the many name changes that inspired the Truckee Follies spoof, which ultimately led to the firm's existing name, Porter Simon, Professional Corporation. The shorter name allows for ease in pronunciation and recognition while acknowledging our firm's growth from an early partnership to a premier law firm in the Northern California/Nevada region.
Porter Simon's expansion has continued into South Lake Tahoe, California where partner Ken Craig practices civil and probate litigation overlooking the beautiful Tahoe Keys Marina. Porter Simon is pleased to announce that attorney Joseph W. Tillson has joined the firm as of counsel. Like Kelley Carroll, Joe has been designated as a Certified Specialist in Probate, Estate Planning and Trust Law by the State Bar of California. He will be working from our South Lake Tahoe office and brings more than 25 years of experience to Porter Simon while still maintaining and advising his existing set of clients. To better serve clients in the North Lake Tahoe community, Porter Simon is also proud to announce the recent formation of a Professional Association with attorney John L. Shadek in Incline Village, Nevada. John was born in Chicago, Illinois, but migrated to California to study law at McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific. He focuses his legal practice to the areas of real estate law and civil litigation. Porter Simon is also pleased to announce that attorney Timothy D. Casey has joined the firm as of counsel and expanded its practice area to include intellectual property and technology transactions. Tim brings more than 20 years of experience in the intellectual property practice area. His extensive experience includes 10 years at Silicon Valley, and 10 years in Washington D.C. and New York City as both in-house counsel to major technology companies and in private practice at large law firms.
All of Porter Simon's attorneys are licensed in California, and six are also licensed to practice in Nevada. Our Nevada licensed attorneys maintain a separate office in Reno, Nevada and handle a variety of civil legal, including probate and trust, matters in the Nevada judicial system and for Nevada residents and businesses. Our unique, bi-state practice and the experience of our attorneys enables us effectively to represent client and business interests whose transactions cross the State line between Nevada and California. We have developed comprehensive, legal resources to assist our bi-state clients in their interaction with governmental agencies in both States, and are equipped to address both transactional and litigation matters involving California and Nevada issues.
* See Kathie Radtke-Hoxsie, Ski Country Law Practice, ABA Journal cover story, March 1984, vol. 70.