ɐ fˈɪfθdʒˌɛnɚɹˈeɪʃən tˈɛksən ænd ɐ θˈɜːddʒˌɛnɚɹˈeɪʃən ɐtˈɜːni, sˈɪmənz ɹᵻsˈiːvd ɐ bˈiː.ˈeɪ. fɹʌm ˈɔːstɪn kˈɑːlɪdʒ, ænd ɐ dʒˈeɪ.dˈiː. fɹʌm bˈeɪlɚ lˈɔː skˈuːl, wˌɛɹ ʃiː sˈɜːvd æz ɐ nˈoʊts ænd kˈɑːmɛnts ˈɛdɪɾɚ fɚðə bˈeɪlɚ lˈɔː ɹᵻvjˈuː.
A fifth-generation Texan and a third-generation attorney, Simmons received a B.A. from Austin College, and a J.D. from Baylor Law School, where she served as a notes and comments editor for the Baylor Law Review.