When you’re hurt by someone else’s wrongdoing, you deserve to be compensated. Period.
When you hire us, you get US — we don’t pass your file down to some entry-level lawyer you’ve yet to meet. We are committed to personally handling your case from beginning to end with our trademark professionalism, confidentiality, and a conscientious emphasis on YOU. Once we take your case and know your story, we work relentlessly to secure the justice you deserve.
Our commitment to you includes:
- Reviewing your case for free with no obligation to you
- Understanding the impact this case has had on you and your family
- Charging you nothing unless we win the case
- Bringing all of our expertise in order to obtain optimal justice
Dan C. Schaar
After obtaining his JD from the Santa Clara University School of Law, where he served as the president of the Student Bar Association, Dan Schaar landed as an intern in the Santa Clara County Office of the Public Defender, representing real people in a real courtroom. It was clear early on that this was where he wanted to be — in trial, fighting for human beings who couldn’t fight for themselves.
Dan applies a genuine sense of empathy to his cases and it gives him the ability to tell his client’s story in such a way that the jurors truly understand the gravity of their losses. Since he started practicing law in 2008, he has procured numerous six, seven, and eight-figure results, including three of the five biggest personal injury jury verdicts in his home county of Santa Cruz, and one of the largest verdicts for an injured bicyclist in California history — $6.78 million. Dan has tried over twenty-five cases to verdict on both the plaintiff and defense sides.
With that laser focus on trial presentation, Dan only takes a select number of cases so he can provide each client with the same level of compassion and personal attention. He believes in his methods so much that he travels the country with Trial By Human, teaching young attorneys how to discover their clients’ stories and to paint a vivid and convincing picture of their lives for the jury.
In the Bay Area, where Dan calls home, he enjoys surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, mountain biking and working out. He also loves to soak up the sun on California’s beautiful beaches with his wife and two young children.
Eva Silva
With a degree from California State University Hayward (now CSUEB) in hand, Eva Silva was only 20 years old when she started attending Santa Clara University School of Law where she was an active participant in the school’s Moot Court and Law Review. After receiving her JD, her passion for helping people took root during a summer clerkship at Van Der Walde & Associates in 2005. She’s been thriving as a passionate advocate for victims of personal injury ever since.
In 2017, Eva launched Schaar & Silva Trial Lawyers and has continued to foster new partnerships with other law firms, working to maximize results for her clients and provide the best representation possible. But it isn’t just about these collaborative efforts. Eva is also the managing attorney at Schaar & Silva, where her attention to detail is the uniting force within the litigation team — she handles coordinating legal research, writing briefs, and running the day-to-day operations at the firm.
Eva is also a member of Consumer Attorneys of California, Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association, Alameda-Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association, Santa Clara Bar Association, Alameda-Contra Costa Bar Association, and for several consecutive years, she has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star.
When Eva isn’t getting to know her clients and their unique stories, she loves spending time with her two daughters in the Bay Area.
Jillian Sullivan
Paralegal
Jillian brings over five years of experience to her role as Schaar & Silva’s paralegal. After earning her undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Corporate Finance from San Francisco State University, Jillian took on roles of increasing responsibility in the legal sector. She has extensive experience preparing legal documents and files for court appearances, updating and maintaining client and case information, and summarizing depositions. Before joining Schaar & Silva, Jillian worked as a legal assistant and paralegal for several Bay Area law firms, and for the City of Palo Alto. Jillian’s commitment to meticulous work and outstanding customer service keeps Schaar & Silva’s cases running smoothly.
