Cross & Simon, LLC : Attorneys

Click name
to view biography.

Christopher P. Simon focuses his practice in bankruptcy law and litigation in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Prior to joining founding partner Richard H. Cross, Jr., Mr. Simon worked at The Bayard Firm (now Bayard, P.A.) in Wilmington, Delaware. He began his career as a trial attorney with the Office of the Public Defender for the State of Delaware.

Mr. Simon has represented a wide variety of parties and interests in federal court, and in chapter 11 and chapter 7 corporate bankruptcy cases, including debtors, trustees, official committees of unsecured creditors, landlords, equity holders and creditors. He regularly appears as lead counsel in all aspects of litigation (including contested matters and adversary proceedings) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware and the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, and has argued on appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Mr. Simon graduated from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and received his Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, Delaware. At Widener, he served on the law review for the Delaware Journal of Corporate Law.

Before beginning his legal career, Mr. Simon worked as a journalist. His articles have appeared in The News Journal, The Baltimore Sun and The Wall Street Journal, where he worked as an intern staff reporter. Mr. Simon is a Commissioner for the Wilmington Housing Authority, a member of the Board of Trustees for Christ Church Episcopal Preschool, and a volunteer guardian ad litem for the Office of the Child Advocate. He is a member of the Delaware State Bar Association, the Delaware Trial Lawyers Association, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and the American Bar Association.

Mr. Simon lives in Wilmington with his wife Laura, son Christopher, and daughter Alexandra.

Please note that using this website or contacting us will not cause you to become a client of the firm or create an attorney-client relationship. Any information you provide when contacting us may be disclosed to third parties unless and until we agree in a formal writing to represent you. If you choose to contact us, please do not provide us with any confidential information.

Tara M. DiRocco focuses her practice on commercial litigation and real estate transactions. Tara is experienced in real estate litigation, commercial transactions, and landlord/tenant matters, including lease negotiations, reviews, and evictions.

Tara graduated cum laude from Widener University School of Law and obtained her B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Delaware. At Widener, Tara was a member of the Moe Levine Trial Advocacy Honor Society and was enrolled in the Delaware Civil Clinic in which she represented indigent clients in connection with family law issues, concentrating on domestic violence matters.

Tara is admitted to practice before the Delaware Supreme Court and the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. She is a member of the Delaware State Bar Association and the American Bar Association. Tara is a volunteer guardian ad litem through the Delaware Office of the Child Advocate.

Richard H. Cross, Jr. is the founder and managing member of the firm. Before establishing Cross & Simon in 2002 he was a commercial and bankruptcy litigator with Young, Conaway, Stargatt & Taylor, a leading general litigation and bankruptcy firm in Wilmington. Prior to that, he was a litigation attorney with Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell. Mr. Cross began his legal career as law clerk for the Honorable Jerome O. Herlihy of the Superior Court of the State of Delaware.

Mr. Cross received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York in 1988 and his J.D. from the Law School at the college of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1996. Between college and law school, he served as an officer in the United States Navy where his primary responsibility was as a navigator on the F-14 Tomcat. Among other accomplishments, Mr. Cross earned two strike-flight air medals for his participation in Desert Shield and Desert Storm where he flew more than 40 combat missions over Iraq.

Mr. Cross is a regular lecturer on continuing legal education topics relating to commercial and civil litigation. Most recently, he was a speaker for classes on Delaware Creditor’s Rights and Commercial Landlord/Tenant Law. He lives in Wilmington with his wife, Carey, and his sons, Will, Henry and George.

Amy E. Evans currently focuses her practice on commercial litigation, estate & trust litigation and guardianship matters. Ms. Evans holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Temple University and earned her Juris Doctor from Widener University School of Law where she received top honors for course work in International Corporate Finance and Constitutional Law. She is a member of the Delaware Bar, the New York State Bar, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Prior to becoming associated with the firm, Ms. Evans served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Susan C. Del Pesco of the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, and as an Assistant City Solicitor for the City of Wilmington.

Ms. Evans is a member of the Wilmington Rowing Center and is active in the sport of rowing.

Ryan M. Ernst joined the firm in 2008 and focuses his practice on commercial and civil litigation. He also has experience in bankruptcy litigation, business planning, products liability, and environmental litigation. Ryan was admitted to practice in Delaware in 2006.

Ryan obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Delaware, and an M.B.A. and J.D. from Temple University, where he also received the Arthur Burns Memorial Prize in Real Estate Law.

Ryan is admitted to practice in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He is also a member of the Delaware State Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Sean T. O'Kelly practices in all areas of litigation, including patent and commercial litigation, as well as personal injury matters. Before joining Cross & Simon, Sean was an attorney with Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell, practicing primarily in the Intellectual Property Litigation Group. Prior to that, Sean was a Lead Structural Engineer at Boeing, working on such programs as the Apache AH-64, 757, 767, and 777 commercial jet aircraft.

Sean received B.S.E. and B.A. degrees from the University of Connecticut, an M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Temple University Beasley School of Law, where he received the Raynes, McCarty Prize for scholarly achievement in the law, and the Kozart Prize for excellence in products liability.

Since joining Cross & Simon, Sean has represented clients in a variety of matters. He practices in all courts in Delaware. Representative cases of Sean’s include:

Ronald A. Katz Technology Licensing, L.P. v. Rite Aid Corp., et al., C.A. No. 06-545 (GMS)
CVS Corp. v. Ronald A. Katz Technology Licensing, L.P., C.A. No. 06-775 (GMS)
Lucent Technologies Inc., et al., v. Microsoft Corp., C.A. No. 06-CV-0684 H (CAB)
Alcatel USA Resources, Inc. v. Microsoft Corp., C.A. No. 6:06-CV-499 (E.D. Texas)
Russell Crane & Jennifer Crane v. The Home Depot, et al., C.A. No. 06C-03-034 (JTV)
Steven Long v. The Home Depot, Inc., C.A. No. 06C-08-018 (JEB)
Donna Taylor, et al. v. The Home Depot, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 05C-06-147 (FSS)
Alliance Contractors, Inc. v. Miles Properties, Inc., C.A. No. 06L-12-082 (JOH)

Michael J. Joyce focuses his practice on civil and commercial litigation, bankruptcy litigation and creditors’ rights in bankruptcy. Michael also has experience in products liability matters and toxic tort/environmental litigation.

Michael received his Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors, from the University of Delaware, where he studied Political Science and History. He received his Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of Law. At Widener, Michael participated in the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program and in the Delaware Civil Clinic, where he represented indigent clients in connection with family law issues, concentrating on domestic violence matters.

Michael is admitted to practice before the Delaware Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He is a member of the Delaware State Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Michael lives in Newark, Delaware with his wife Jennifer, daughter Kelsey and son Caelan.

Kevin S. Mann joined Cross & Simon, LLC in 2006, practicing primarily in the areas of commercial litigation and bankruptcy, representing debtors, creditors and landlords in all aspects of Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 bankruptcies. Kevin also has experience in business planning, estate planning and estate administration.

Kevin received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delaware, where he studied English. He received his J.D. degree from Rutgers University School of Law. Before law school, Kevin worked as a computer records specialist for Corporation Service Company and the University of Delaware.

Kevin is admitted to practice before the Delaware Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, the Supreme Court of New Jersey, and the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. He is a member of the Delaware State Bar Association and a volunteer attorney guardian ad litem for the Office of the Child Advocate. Kevin lives in historic New Castle, Delaware with his wife, Amy, and their miniature dachshund, Penny.

Patrick M. Brannigan joined Cross & Simon, LLC in May of 2009. Prior to joining the firm, Patrick worked as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of Delaware for nearly four years, where he practiced as a trial attorney in the Criminal Division. Patrick has handled hundreds of trials, including misdemeanor and felony trials and is intimately familiar with the workings of the Superior Court for the State of Delaware. He has handled numerous jury trials. At his last post, Patrick worked in the Felony Trial Unit handling a variety of felony cases in the Major Crimes section of the unit.

Patrick was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 2006.

Patrick obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Saint Joseph’s University, and received his Juris Doctorate, with honors, from Widener University School of Law. At Widener, Patrick participated in the Harrisburg Civil Law Clinic where he represented indigent clients on a variety of matters including bankruptcies, simple divorces and other financial matters.

Joseph Grey arrived at Cross & Simon in July 2009. His practice primarily focuses on Bankruptcy law but he also has significant experience in other types of civil litigation in Delaware's state and federal courts. Joe has represented debtors, creditors, vendors, and entities seeking to acquire assets in bankruptcy cases. His clients have included various parties in suits before the Court of Chancery, the Delaware Superior Court, and the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. In addition, Joe has assisted both claimants and employers in administrative proceedings pending before the Delaware Department of Labor and the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Besides his work in court, Joe has also advised and represented a number of clients in connection with debtor/creditor workouts, planning for the protection of assets, corporate dissolutions, and employment matters.

Before coming to Cross & Simon, Joe was a shareholder with Stevens & Lee and, before that, a Director with Prickett Jones Elliott Kristol & Schnee (now Prickett Jones & Elliott) in Wilmington, Delaware. Joe started his legal career as a law clerk in the Court of Chancery, where he served under then Justice Joseph T. Walsh, then Vice Chancellor Jack B. Jacobs, and the late then Vice Chancellor Maurice T. Hartnett.

Joe attended college at the University of Virginia, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts with distinction in History in 1980. He received a Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1985. In March 2007, Joe was certified as a mediator by the Delaware Superior Court after successfully completing a course sponsored by that Court.

Joe is admitted to practice before the Delaware Supreme Court (since 1985), the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (1986), the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (1991), and the United States Supreme Court (1992). He is a member of the Delaware State Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the American Bankruptcy Institute.

Joe currently serves as a Director of the 8th District Planning Council in Wilmington. In the past, he was a Director and President of the Board of Director's of St. Mark's High School, a member of the Diocesan Selection Committee tasked to assist in finding a principal for St. Marks High, and Joe was one of the "Blue Ribbon Panel" attorneys who represented indigent criminal defendants under the Criminal Justice Act. For the last nine years or so, Joe has also been pleased to serve as an attorney advisor/coach for the St. Marks High Mock Trial Team, which has won two state titles during that time.

Joe lives in Wilmington with his wife Kassie, where they try to keep tabs on their three adult children, Erin, Patrick and David.