In the heart of Highland Park reside Jeffrey and Yasmin Simon, two individuals whose lives intertwined through litigation, love, and a shared commitment to their Park Cities haven. Yasmin is a fist generation American, and her family emigrated to the United States from England. With her brother being born in England, Yasmin is the only born American in the family. _ey initially lived in New York, but when she was

three years old, they moved to the small town of Quincy, Illinois, about 20 minutes away from Hannibal, Missouri. She later attended college in Nashville at Vanderbilt and law school at Boston College before ultimately ending up in Chicago. Yasmin’s former law partner used to try cases in Texas, several of which were against Jeffrey. The two first met during a conference and saw each other again year after year at

the same event. Yasmin shared, “Many moons later, we were both divorced and began dating long distance before I eventually moved to Texas. I like to say I got here as fast as I could.” Jeffrey, a Dallas resident for three decades, traces his roots to Fort Worth and the halls of the University of Texas School of Law. He moved to Dallas in 1993 to take his first attorney job at the firm of Baron and Budd. In 2006, Jeffrey opened his own law firm, Simon Greenstone Panatier, PC, which has thrived and worked to improve consumer safety and public health for the last 17 years. Yasmin and Jeffrey have three children. _e oldest is 22 and just graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. the middle is 19 and a sophomore at Georgetown, while the youngest is 14 and an eighth grader at Hockaday. “Our daughter

is a wise soul, a 14-year-old going on 30,” Jeffrey muses. The Simon family is complete with two rescue dogs. “When we met, Jeffrey had two rescued black labs, Guinness and Scout,” explained Yasmin. “they lived to be 12 and 14, passing away just weeks apart. We waited a couple weeks before going to Operation Kindness to see what they had. We went there just to pet some dogs, but there was this yellow lab named Jacob.” Jacob, affectionately known as Jake, came home with them that day. They were informed that Jake had been adopted out and returned, and they later found out why. “He ate almost the entire kitchen, the chairs, the floorboards, and he ate shoes,” said Jeffrey and Yasmin. “Thankfully he is now a very relaxed gentleman!” Jake became a part of the family during COVID, and when Yasmin and Jeffrey returned to office work, they knew that Jake needed a friend. They took Jake with them to an adoption event where they found a seemingly docile, friendly hound who looks like a Beagle. Jake was sold on her, and Gracie became the newest member of the Simon family. “She also became the boss of everyone,” said Yasmin. “She gleefully spends her days stalking squirrels and birds in the backyard. She’s a hunting dog who is just plying her trade in the middle of Highland Park!” The Simons’ professional lives reflect a dedication to justice and advocacy. “I represent small companies, Fortune 500 companies, energy companies (of various sizes), and other types of manufacturers in product liability and environmental actions,” stated Yasmin. “But it is my pro bono work that feeds my soul. I’ve worked on behalf of migrants in asylum cases, including people arriving at our southern

border, as well as for people fleeing Africa and Afghanistan. When we pulled the troops out of Afghanistan, it le_ a lot of our interpreters and people who assisted the military in a bind. Many of them applied for asylum, and along with my colleagues, I’ve worked on their behalf. I also work in election protection, ensuring all people, regardless of political affiliation, have access to the polls.” Fueled by her

love for the Park Cities community, Yasmin has embarked on a new journey, as she is running to represent Texas House District 108. Meanwhile, Jeffrey, a career plaintiff ’s lawyer, represents people in communities that sue what they allege to be big polluters or big wrongdoers. “Sometimes those are Yasmin’s clients though not in the same litigation,” Jeffrey explained. “We’ve never been opposite each other, but our firms are sometimes opposite each other.” Jeffrey is also the chair of the Plaintiff ’s Steering Committee in opioid litigation in Texas, channeling billions to Texas for combating the opioid crisis. He is also a published author, and his recent book, “Last Rights, The Fight to Save the Seventh Amendment,” demonstrates his fierce commitment to protecting every American’s right to trial by jury.

When they aren’t busy working, the family loves to travel, with Key West and Snowmass Village in the Aspen Valley being among their favorite destinations. the whole family plays golf, tennis, and enjoys snow skiing. Though they love to travel, they equally love life in the Park Cities. “We love the parks, businesses, and the unique charm of Snider Plaza and Highland Park Village,” they shared. “The ability

to walk to our favorite locations like Abbott Park and Court Two by the creek summarizes the essence of what makes the Park Cities a truly special place to live.”

Nina Sachse is a realtor with the Rhodes Group (Compass). In 2000, she moved to Dallas to attend SMU, where she wore the Mustang’s red and blue colors, at first as a member of the school’s diving program and then its cheerleading squad. Crimson is a cooler shade of red and when paired with blue, you get the colors of the University of Kansas (KU), where her husband, Decker Sachse (a Tulsa native) received his bachelor’s degree before landing in Dallas for work (he is an attorney). The two met here at a clothing store in the West Village almost 13 years ago. Nina was working there as a buyer and Decker (who goes by “Deck”) was shopping for a KU t-shirt. He later proposed to her in that same t-shirt and the two were married in Chicago in 2009, almost 3 years after their first date which happened in the Windy City, at Lollapalooza where one of Deck’s music clients was performing. Nina’s path to real estate was a natural one. Growing up in a small town in central Illinois (Peoria), everyone knew her mother, Mary Ann Knell, who continually had a top producing team and was a leader in the real estate industry. Nina lost her mother to cancer in 2014, just about a month before their son Sam (now 8) was born. Her mother’s successful real estate career in Illinois left a lasting impression on Nina. “Real estate was her world, and so it became our world too”. Deck, who has his own law firm (Sachse Law) represents clients in the music industry and in commercial real estate. At first glance, it doesn’t seem like the fields of music and real estate would intersect, but if you’ve ever been to a music festival or attended a show at a historic music venue, you can begin to imagine how they might fit together. He also writes and records his own music, which like his practice, varies in feel, nodding to his two favorite musical styles – bossa nova (he

releases songs under the name “Mission to the Sea”) and 80’s new wave (released under the moniker “Paper Cups”). Rose (a 5th grader at McCulloch Intermediate School) was the couple’s first child, followed by Sam, now a 3rd grader at Lamplighter. In the summers, the Sachses head to northern Michigan, where Deck’s family has been going to escape the Texas heat since the 1930s, gathering in a cottage on Little Traverse Bay. “We’re so lucky to have a place where we know we can always go, see family, and make some amazing memories, and now, our kids are getting to an age where we can take them elsewhere, so we look forward to seeing more unfamiliar places,” says Deck. Maybe they’ll start with a trip to the Italian Peninsula to explore Nina’s Sicilian roots. Their house on Abbott Avenue, which they bought in 2011, sits right on the Katy Trail, so when Nina’s not working, she likes to run. She has also dedicated over a decade to volunteering for the Cattle Baron’s Ball, a long-running event (celebrating 50 years) that raises funds for the American Cancer Society. As the couple’s family grew, they decided it was time to expand the footprint of their house, so they began renovations in 2020. With the help of SmithDish architecture, Hocker Design, SR Hughes, Robert Hopson Construction Group, and Bonick Landscape, their home has been transformed (yet still looks from the street like the same little cottage) and is their favorite place to be together.

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra League invites you to join in the celebration of music and fashion at the 10th annual Fashion Notes Designer Award Luncheon and Style Show on Thursday,  October 12, 2023 at the Meyerson Symphony Center. Jada Mowles and Laura Price are the event chairs for the luncheon. Nancy Labadie is the DSOL President.

The Honorary Chairs for the event are Karen Cox and her daughter, Isabella Cox, longtime supporters of the Dallas Symphony. Karen is a former Fashion Notes Chair, and Isabella was a Dallas Symphony Orchestra League Debutante in 2020.

The Fashion Notes Designer Award 2023 will be presented to Catalina Gonzalez of Dondolo, a luxury children and woman lifestyle brand. The talented designer and her beautiful lifestyle brand will be celebrated.

The morning will begin at 10:30 with a fashion show followed by lunch and a raffle. Fall fashions from LoveShackFancy, Dondolo, accessories by Milliard Diamond Concierge and boots by Petite Paloma will be featured. The fashion show will be produced by Robyn Chauvin Productions. PaperCity is the digital and print luxury lifestyle media sponsor.

Through this event, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League strives to raise funds that support the love of music and arts for thousands of young people in the Dallas community. Funds raised help provide quality outreach and educational programs that light the way for talented local musicians. A musical performance by a Young Strings musician will be a highlight of the event.

Sponsorship tables are $15,000, $10,000, $5,000, $3000. Single Tickets are available at $500 (Patron Level) and $300. Tickets are available on the website: www.dallassymphonyleague.com. For further information m.haba@dalsym.com or 214-871-4005.

Mark your calendars for a night of music and dancing on Saturday, January 27, 2024, as the Junior Symphony Ball takes over the iconic Gilley’s Dallas for an evening of fun and entertainment. Full details will be unveiled in the weeks to come.

The lineup of the 2024 Co-Chairs represents schools across Dallas: Ela Austin, Ursuline Academy; Cara Lichty, Episcopal School of Dallas;  Adelaide Boisture, Parish Episcopal School; Cash Nix, Highland Park High School; Caroline Woram, Highland Park High School; Ashton Krug, Jesuit College Prep of Dallas; James Sutherland, St. Mark’s School of Texas; Kate Fagan, The Hockaday School; and Baker Trent, Bishop Lynch High School. 

Their supportive and proud moms are: Suzanne Austin, Jenny Lichty, Ashley Boisture, Jonika Nix, Dana Woram, Holly Krug, Lauren Sutherland, Aimee Fagan, and Katy Trent.

The JSB is the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League’s longest running fundraiser now in its 66^th year. It is a student-led event that unites high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors for a night filled with live music, dance, gaming tables, exciting raffle prizes, and refreshments. Funds raised benefit education and community engagement programs of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.  

Link to high resolution photo  https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/2yzp34ii4xlvaejo2o6ds/h?rlkey=syd3wrdpx93t7rrhy54hgrdqc&dl=0

Married for 33 years, Michael and Victoria Steindorf have a rich Texas history. Victoria was a Highland Park graduate, and in 1881 her great grandfather, Tom Scollard built the first five-story building in downtown Dallas. Her grandmother was a DEB in 1912 and her sister was a DEB in 1908. “My mother was also a DEB,” shared Victoria. “The tradition continued with our daughter, Ellie, who recently participated in the DSOL DEB Ball.” Michael grew up in Houston and West Texas and moved to Dallas in the mid-80s as he joined Norton Rose Fulbright, a law firm here. The Steindorfs have three children – Michael, Caroline, and Ellie. Michael is in private equity and is a partner at Trinity Hunt.  He and his wife have three girls. Caroline is a Highland Park graduate and currently lives in Columbia, South Carolina, with her husband and three sons. Youngest daughter, Ellie, just finished her sophomore year at The University of Alabama where she is studying finance.

Ancestry has become a fascinating part of the Steindorfs’ lives, and they have located genealogical records that have proven to be quite fascinating. “I was never interested much until 2012,” shared Michael. “Victoria’s side of the family can be traced back to ancestors in Jamestown. We recently took a trip to Gettysburg, Jamestown, and a family farm in Virginia where we visited Stephen Bedford’s home. My own ancestors came to Philadelphia in 1751. In a later generation there were four sons who fought in the Civil War. Having that family connection makes it very interesting.” Michael’s side of the family moved to Oak Cliff in 1900 and the oldest daughter was Della Owens Rice. In 1928 she was hired by Herbert Marcus, co-founder of Neiman Marcus and became one of its first models. “She used to ride her bike from Oak Cliff across the viaduct to Neiman’s to work downtown,” said Michael. “Her claim to fame was that she became friends with Grace Kelly and was involved in the design of her wedding dress in 1956. They exchanged letters for many years and some of those are now family heirlooms.”  Interestingly, Michael and Victoria say that their daughter, Ellie, bears a resemblance to Della.

Staying involved and plugged into the community is important to Victoria, Michael, and Ellie. Victoria has volunteered in a multitude of ways. She was introduced to Junior League Dallas in the early 90s by her mother and has also been involved with the Women’s Auxiliary to Children’s Medical Hospital. She has been a volunteer at Armstrong Elementary, McCulloch and HPHS. Victoria has participated in fundraising for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, as well as raised money for Dallas Summer Musicals and participated in National Charity League, which introduced Ellie into volunteering. She enjoys golf, tennis, scuba diving, and genealogy. Michael, along with Victoria, is a member of Dallas Country Club and Park Cities Presbyterian Church. He is a past chairman of Dallas Summer Musicals and has previously served on the boards of the North Texas Food Bank and Dallas Opera. In his free time, he enjoys golf, SEC football, genealogy and US History. Ellie continues philanthropic endeavors while in college and is a member of the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority. She, along with her mother, is a member of Daughters of the American Revolution – Highland Park Chapter and has previously participated in a dance marathon to raise money for the Children’s Hospital. Additionally, she has participated in La Fiesta to raise money for arts at Highland Park.

All of these activities tend to keep the Steindorf family busy, but they do love to vacation with some of their favorite destinations being Seaside, Florida and Lake Michigan. “Lake Michigan is always a favorite,” said Michael. “Ellie grew up going there, as did Victoria, and it’s a great place to visit.” Over the years business has taken Michael to New York and London frequently and Victoria and Ellie have occasionally tagged along. The family enjoys seeing shows on Broadway and in the West End and keeping up friendships they have made in both cities.

Describing themselves as traditional, the Steindorfs say they like to perpetuate traditions. “We value those traditions and try to stay involved,” shared Victoria. “We also loved watching old movies and listening to 40s music as Ellie was growing up. By the time she was eight years old, she could recite word-for-word the Hope and Crosby Road movies.” Ellie laughed and added, “I still can! It puts everyone else to sleep, but the three of us love them more than anything!”