Official Biography
Simon Tam is an award-winning author, keynote speaker, and civil liberties advocate best known as the central figure in Matal v. Tam, the unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision that redefined First Amendment protections in trademark law. Drawing on eight years of fighting the federal government, Simon speaks on free expression, civic engagement, and what it actually costs to change the law.
He is the recipient of the Mark T. Banner Award from the American Bar Association and the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award. His case, Matal v. Tam, was named Milestone Case of the Year by Managing IP Magazine. Simon continues his advocacy through amicus curiae briefs in subsequent First Amendment cases, including Iancu v. Brunetti (U.S. Supreme Court, 2019) and Gilliam v. Tennessee (2025).
Simon's presentations are approved for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits and have been featured at INTA, AIPPI World Congress, SXSW, Stanford University, and hundreds of law schools, bar associations, colleges, and civic organizations across four continents.
His memoir, Slanted: How an Asian American Troublemaker Took on the Supreme Court, was named one of the Best Books on the Constitution of All Time by BookAuthority and won the Independent Publisher Book Award for Best Autobiography/Memoir. Simon's work has been featured in over 3,000 media outlets across 150 countries, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone, NPR, and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. His story has been documented in over 250 published books and is taught in thousands of classrooms across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia — from high school civics classes to law school seminars. Free teaching resources are available at simontam.org/for-educators.
He is the founder and bassist of The Slants, one of the first all-Asian American dance rock bands in the world, and co-founder of The Slants Foundation, a nonprofit supporting civil liberties, the arts, and civic engagement.
Exhibits about his work are part of the permanent collections at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the First Amendment Museum, the National Constitution Center, the Wing Luke Museum, the Songbirds Museum, the Oregon Historical Society, and the Portland Chinatown Museum.
The Story Behind the Case
In 2006, Simon founded The Slants, an all-Asian American dance rock band, and chose the name deliberately, to reclaim a term historically used as a slur against people of Asian descent. When he applied to trademark the name in 2010, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected the application, citing a provision of the Lanham Act that prohibited registering marks that could "disparage" a person or group.
What followed was an eight-year legal battle through the USPTO, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and ultimately the Supreme Court of the United States. In 2017, the Court ruled unanimously in Simon's favor: the government cannot deny a trademark simply because it finds the name offensive or controversial.
"Words — even a single word — can be powerful. Mr. Simon Tam named his band The Slants to make a statement about racial and cultural issues in this country. With his band name, Mr. Tam conveys more about our society than many volumes of undisputedly protected speech."
— Kimberly Moore, Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Matal v. Tam is now taught in constitutional law, intellectual property, Asian American studies, and civics courses across the country — and is regularly cited in First Amendment cases that have followed it.
Beyond the Courtroom
Simon's work spans law, civic engagement, and the arts. He is a co-founder of The Slants Foundation, which supports Asian American artists and civic education initiatives. As an artist, he has received fellowships, residencies, and awards in music, theatre, and writing — including an acclaimed rock opera based on his memoir, now part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's library collection.
Simon has worked alongside fellow musicians and advocates including Jay-Z, Killer Mike, and Chance the Rapper on legislative efforts to protect artistic expression, and joined a coalition with President Barack Obama, George Takei, and Jeremy Lin on the #ActToChange campaign against bullying.
Selected Awards and Recognition
Spirit of America Award (Chinese American Citizen’s Alliance, 2023)
Best Autobiography/Memoir (Independent Publisher Book Awards, 2020)
Top 25 Books on the Constitution of All Time (Book Authority, 2020)
Ovation Lifetime Achievement Award (Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce, 2019)
Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award (Hefner Foundation, 2018)
Mark T. Banner Award (American Bar Association, 2018)
Milestone Case of the Year (Managing IP Magazine, 2018)
Citizen of the Year (Chinese American Citizens Alliance - Portland Lodge, 2017)
Freedom Fighter for Environmental Justice (Roosevelt Freedom Fighters, 2017)
Distinguished Alumni Award (Marylhurst University, 2015)
Portland Rising Star (Light a Fire Awards, 2014)
Nominated The 50 Most Influential Portlanders (Portland Monthly, 2012)
Album of the Year (Portland Music Awards, 2008)
Simon’s Media Appearances Include:
Watch Simon’s Story
Matter of Fact with Soledad' O’Brien’s 2022 series on Trailblazers, Troublemakers, and Dreams
Featured Speaker for Events/Groups Including:
