Adam Simon brings over thirty years of legal experience to Fornaro Law. A significant portion of his career was devoted to serving as Assistant General Counsel to an innovative insurance brokerage serving a largely high-net worth clientele for their personal and business insurance needs. Adam joined the insurance brokerage when it was first introducing its unique premium payment method for life insurance known as the ALPS™. Adam was directly involved in the management and operations of the brokerage, which exposed him to many issues that entrepreneurs face when starting and managing their own businesses. During his tenure, Adam was involved with contracting with (i) insurance companies that issued insurance policies, (ii) banks that provided loans to finance the premium, and (iii) insurance agents that solicited sales of the insurance policies to their clients. Adam managed a team of employees to produce the ALPS™ legal documents, perform due diligence, and facilitate the closings of financings and refinancings of over $1 billion of asset-backed loans.

Adam also engaged in private law practice with The Simon Law Firm where he concentrated on serving individual and business clients with regard to corporate formation, corporate governance, commercial transactions, real estate transactions, employment/HR matters, and commercial and civil litigation. Adam also provided clients with legal services regarding estate, trust and probate administration.

Adam utilized his insurance, financing and management expertise to serve as Executive Vice-President of Operations for Insuring A Better World Fund, a non-profit focused on facilitating donations of life insurance for the benefit of other charities. Adam developed expertise in the area of life settlements where clients who own unneeded or unwanted life insurance policies sell them for cash instead of simply allowing those policies to lapse.

For over 20 years, Adam was the co-founder and president of Shima Realty, LLC, a real estate business that developed and managed multi-unit apartment buildings in Chicago. Shima Realty sold the last of its buildings in 2018, and as a result Adam no longer has any responsibilities relating to Shima Realty.

Adam earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Michigan and his Juris Doctor from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. At Loyola, Adam earned two American Jurisprudence Awards for the highest grades in Contract Law and Real Property Law.

During his free time, Adam enjoys spending time with family and friends often on the waters of Lake Michigan. Adam has been an avid sailor for decades and has put his sailing experience to work as a volunteer with the Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Foundation, a non-profit that provides sailing instruction and adaptive sailboats to bring the thrill and freedom of sailing to people with disabilities. Adam lives in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Chicago and also enjoys attending live music and sporting events.