HOUSTON – Bracewell LLP appellate litigator Walter A. Simons has been named to the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association’s 40 Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40 List for 2025. This annual list recognizes LGBTQ+ legal professionals under the age of 40 who have distinguished themselves in their field and have demonstrated a profound commitment to LGBTQ+ equality.
Simons is recognized for his significant contributions to the legal community, particularly concerning LGBTQ+ lawyers. He has served on several different committees for the Houston Bar Association, including its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee and LGBTQ+ Committee. In those roles, Simons has frequently dedicated both time and financial support to events that bring together and connect LGBTQ+ lawyers and law students.
In the courtroom, Simons has achieved several recent victories that have helped shape legal precedents, including in December 2025 when he secured a significant victory in a sex-trafficking lawsuit against business software provider Salesforce.
Simons, along with this year’s other honorees, will be recognized in July at the Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair in New York.
The LGBTQ+ Bar was founded more than 30 years ago. It is an official affiliate of the American Bar Association and works closely with the ABA’s Section on Individual Rights and Responsibilities and its Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.
