Julia Gandara Simonet

Member

Julia's practice involves all aspects of complex litigation, including advising and counseling clients in contractual disputes, real property, construction matters, wrongful death, personal injury and premises liability. Julia represents a diverse set of clients comprising of various commercial entities, trucking companies, hotels, restaurants, landowners and telecommunications companies. Julia also has experience in regulation and litigation for utility and energy-related clients and has represented clients in state and federal court, as well as in administrative proceedings before the Public Utility Commission. 

Julia has represented project owners, contractors, and design professionals in all stages of litigation. She spent her first two years at Cozen O’Connor in the Global Insurance Department, developing knowledge of coverage and indemnity issues related to construction contracts, including anti-indemnity statutes.

Julia received her J.D. from South Texas College of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in government from the University of Texas. While at South Texas College of Law, Julia was a senior Langdell Scholar and received CALI awards in employment benefits law and insurance law. Julia was also one of 12 graduate students selected for the Houston-Galveston Schweitzer Fellows Program, a one-year interdisciplinary fellowship program focused on health-related community service and leadership development. Prior to attending law school, Julia worked at NASA Johnson Space Center in the Crew and Thermal Systems Division for several years, developing complex analytical skills by performing evaluations of crew equipment for spacecraft and the International Space Station. 

News

Julia Simonet, Brian Browne and Catherine Yun Selected as Firm Representatives for Leadership Council on Legal Diversity

December 15, 2022

Cozen O'Connor has selected Julia Simonet, Brian Browne and Catherine Yun as Firm Representatives for Leadership Council on Legal Diversity

Cozen O'Connor Promotes 28 Attorneys to Member

March 25, 2022

Cozen O'Connor promoted 28 attorneys to member in March.

More Than 205 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 19, 2021

Best Lawyers selected 210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

More Than 200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 20, 2020

Best Lawyers selected 201 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© (Copyright 2020 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC).

Publications

Texas PUC to Submit Proposed Rules for Adoption [Utility, Environmental & Energy Alert]

January 29, 2015

In September 2014, responsibility for regulation of water and wastewater utilities was transferred from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to the Public Utility Commission (PUC). The transfer allows TCEQ to focus on its core environmental mission while taking advantage of PUC’s historic ratemaking expertise. The PUC originally regulated water and sewer rates, and the agency historically has regulated rates and services of electric and telecommunications companies in areas where competition was weak or nonexistent. According to Darryl Tietjen, director of Rate Regulation for the PUC, one of the basic objectives of the move is to make water regulation more consistent with the way electric utilities are regulated.

Education

  • South Texas College of Law, J.D., 2014
  • University of Texas–Austin, B.A., 2011

Awards & Honors

Best Lawyers in America "Ones to Watch" 2021, 2022

  • Texas
  • U.S. District Court -- Southern District of Texas

Fellow, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, 2023