About J. Stephen
J. Stephen Simms is a principal at Simms Showers LLP, a law firm with offices in Baltimore, Maryland, and Leesburg, Virginia. His practice focuses on complex civil and bankruptcy litigation, serving both businesses and individuals. He has experience in maritime and intermodal transportation litigation, intellectual property, antitrust, directors and officers' liability, insurance coverage. Civil False Claims Act cases. Mr. Simms has represented clients in various international jurisdictions, including India, Chile, Japan, the Panama Canal, the Canary Islands, Guam, New Zealand, Israel, Houston, New Orleans, Savannah, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Baltimore, New Jersey, and New Haven. Before entering private practice, Mr. Simms served as a Trial Attorney for the U.S.
Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, where he was selected for the Attorney General’s Program for Honor Law Graduates. He holds a Juris Doctor from Northwestern University School of Law, earned in 1980, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Johns Hopkins University, obtained in 1975. He also earned a Master of Arts in International Studies from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in 1979. Mr. Simms is admitted to practice in Maryland and the District of Columbia. He is also admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of International Trade. The U.S.
Courts of Appeal for the District of Columbia, Federal, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits. Additionally, he is admitted to the U.S. District Courts for the Northern District of Illinois, District of Maryland, District of Columbia, and the Court of Federal Claims. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the Maritime Law Association of the United States, the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, the Maryland State Bar Association. The Christian Legal Society. Mr. Simms has been recognized by Super Lawyers from 2021 to 2026. In his community, Mr. Simms serves as an Elder at St.
Moses Church in Baltimore and is a board member emeritus of the International Bunker Industry Association. He is also a legal advisor to SEA/LNG, an industry group for LNG bunkering, and serves on the Maryland Department of Transportation Private Sector Port Committee. He lectures for the Maryland World Trade Center Institute and is a board member of First Fruits Farm in Freeland, Maryland. Mr. Simms' firm, Simms Showers LLP, has offices in Baltimore, Maryland, and Leesburg, Virginia. The Baltimore office is located at 201 International Circle, Suite 230, Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030. The Leesburg office is at 305 Harrison Street SE, Third Floor, Leesburg, Virginia 20175.
