Julia Simon-Mishel is the supervising attorney of the Unemployment Compensation Unit at Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA), where she represents low-wage workers in unemployment matters. She has represented over 700 clients and has an active appellate practice pursuing impact unemployment cases in Pennsylvania courts. She serves by appointment on Pennsylvania’s Unemployment Compensation Benefit Modernization Advisory Committee and has testified by invitation before the Pennsylvania legislature many times on issues affecting her clients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she has spearheaded community outreach and education about unemployment programs in Pennsylvania, working closely with social service organizations, community groups, legal services organizations, and local officials to help tens of thousands of workers access benefits. Prior to joining PLA, she clerked for the Honorable Norma L. Shapiro of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. She was recently named one of the American Bar Association’s “One the Rise: Top 40 Young Lawyers” and a Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in Pennsylvania. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Brandeis University.
