By Scott Thompson
George M. Simmerman Jr. (JD 83) was announced as the 2023 Law Alumnus of the Year at the University of Mississippi School of Law luncheon. The Law Alumni Chapter of the Ole Miss Alumni Association annually presents this award to an alum of the law school who dedicates encouragement of excellence in legal education, evidenced by active participation as an alum, by a major commitment of support and by unswerving loyalty to the school.
Simmerman, a Pascagoula native, earned his bachelor’s degree in political science at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, before obtaining his law degree. As a law student, he was a member of the Mississippi Law Journal, was elected president of the Law School Student Body and graduated with honors. He completed an executive education program in finance at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, a program in general management and leadership at Harvard University’s Business School and a program in executive marketing strategy at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.
In 1991, following an early legal career in private practice, he joined Ingalls, Litton Industries, now part of Northrop Grumman Corp. From 2008 to 2011, he was vice president, assistant general counsel and sector counsel for Northrop Gruman’s shipbuilding sector. He then took on the role of corporate vice president and deputy general counsel for Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII). His final role at HII was vice president and chief counsel for the Ingalls shipbuilding division, where he provided legal advice and counsel, in coordination with the executive vice president and chief legal officer, to senior division management and oversaw and coordinated with other Ingalls-based lawyers who reported to him the provision of legal advice to the division. In March 2023, Simmerman retired from HII after 32 years with the company.
“Ole Miss law has meant so much to me during my career and gave me and many others the solid foundation I needed to be an effective lawyer and counselor for my clients,” said Simmerman. “Likewise, the blessings of a great education blessed my family.”
The University of Mississippi School of Law alumni luncheon took place on July 20 in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the Mississippi Bar at Mary Mahoney’s Old French House in Biloxi.