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
Eva Silva, the Managing Partner of Schaar & Silva LLP, brings over 20 years of experience as a Plaintiff’s personal injury attorney to her role here at our firm. Eva has always had a desire to do things to the best of her ability, and to help people. After earning her undergraduate degree from California State University, Hayward (now California State University, East Bay), Eva earned her JD from Santa Clara University School of Law, graduating when she was just 23 years old, and passing the bar that same year. During a summer clerkship at a personal injury firm, Eva discovered her passion for helping people hurt by the negligence of others. Eva was moved by herclients’ stories of being injured, unable to work, with some pushed to the brink of homelessness in the increasingly expensive Bay Area—their lives changed or destroyed in a second due to someone else’s negligence.
After graduating from law school, Eva worked as a Plaintiff’s personal injury attorney for 13 years, before co-founding Schaar & Silva LLP with fellow attorney Dan Schaar in 2017. Eva is excited to be working with Schaar & Silva LLP, bringing along her experience with almost every aspect of injury law-second-chairing cases, helping shape juries, coordinating legal research and writing department, and opposing countless Motions for Summary Judgment, among other things.
Eva is a member of Consumer Attorneys of California, the Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association, the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, and the Alameda Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association. For the past several years, she has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star–an honor reserved for 2.5% of attorneys who are under 40 or who have been in practice for less than 10 years. In 2016 and 2017, Eva and her partner Dan Schaar were nominated for the Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers’ Association’s Trial Lawyer of the Year award, and together share one of the largest personal injury verdicts to come out of Santa Cruz County.
When not at the office or in court, Eva enjoys spending time with her son and daughter. Her interests include cooking, baking, and card games with the kids. Eva enjoys getting to know every one of Schaar & Silva’s clients as a person with a unique story and fighting for their rights.
Jillian Sullivan
Paralegal
In her role as a paralegal at Schaar & Silva, Jillian Sullivan brings almost 15 years of experience in the legal field, including over ten years as a paralegal. She earned her undergraduate degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Corporate Finance from San Francisco State University.
Jillian has extensive experience preparing legal documents and court filings, responding to and preparing discovery requests, maintaining and updating client and case information, summarizing depositions, and supporting overall office operations. Her role includes managing administrative workflows, coordinating case materials, and ensuring compliance with court deadlines and procedures. She also provides comprehensive litigation and trial support, including organizing exhibits, preparing trial materials, and assisting attorneys throughout all phases of litigation and trial.
Prior to joining Schaar & Silva, Jillian worked as a legal assistant and paralegal at several Bay Area law firms, as well as for the City of Palo Alto.
Known for her meticulous attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and commitment to outstanding client service, Jillian plays a key role in keeping the firm’s cases and daily operations running smoothly.
