Raquel M Silva – Estate Planning and Family Law Attorney
With over 30 years of legal experience as both a paralegal and then attorney, Raquel M. Silva, CFLS*, provides Estate Planning (Wills, Trust Administration, Probate) and Family Law services to individuals and families in Yolo County and throughout Northern California.
Ms. Silva operates as a sole practitioner in her Davis, Ca location. As such, she is able to provide that “personal touch” on all of her cases.
Experienced Legal Representation
Before becoming a lawyer, Raquel M. Silva, spent 16 years working as a paralegal on cases covering many areas of the law including: real estate title litigation, business litigation, and corporate law. This breadth of experience allows Ms. Silva and her legal team to provide her clients a level of service that is typically not found in other law offices. The legal team at the Law Office of Raquel M. Silva is able to approach cases from a multitude of angles — ensuring that clients are provided a detailed picture of their specific situation and the options that are available to them.
Ms. Silva attended UC Davis School of Law, King Hall and graduated with honors in May 2005. During her second year of law school, Ms. Silva became a Certified Law Student for the King Hall Family Protection Clinic. Clinic work enabled her to obtain two years of court and trial experience prior to graduating law school.
In 2012, Ms. Silva became a Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS) which requires extensive continuing legal education classes in all areas of family law, in addition to the standard California State Bar continuing education requirements. Ms. Silva stays fully informed and up to date in all areas of her practice by attending continuing legal education conferences throughout the year, participating in the continuing education programs offered by the Yolo County Bar and Yolo County Family Bar Associations, as well as consulting regularly with financial/tax specialists, divorce coaches, child custody counselors, child custody evaluators, and therapists working with divorcing families.

Community Involvement
After passing the California State Bar in November 2005, Ms. Silva opened her law office in her hometown of Davis, CA, where she is actively involved with the community through the Davis Waldorf School, Let It Flow (a water charity founded by the professional skateboarder and Davis native, Nyjah Huston), and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Davis, CA offers the wonderful mix of a small, bike-friendly farm/university town, combined with the food, fun and culture of a much bigger city. In a single day you can buy locally grown organic foods at the Davis Farmers Market and attend a concert at Mondavi Theater. Davis is perfectly located between the Sierra Nevada and the Pacific Ocean…the best of all worlds.
Areas of Practice
- Estate Planning: Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, and Advance Health Care Directives
- Wills and Revocable Trusts
- Powers of Attorney
- Advance Health Care Directives/Living Will
- Trust Administration
- Probate & Small Estate Administration
- Family Law
- Divorce/Legal Separation
- Child Custody, Child Support, and Parenting Time
- Registered Domestic Partnerships
- Spousal support
- Paternity
- Pre-Nuptial and Post-Nuptial Agreements
Bar Admissions
- California State Bar – Certified Family Law Specialist in 2012
- California State Bar in 2005
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of California in 2006
Education
- University of California at Davis School of Law, Davis, California
- Honors: Dean’s Honor List
- Honors: Witkin Award For Academic Excellence
- University of California, Davis, Davis, California, B.A. – Political Science
- Honors: Pi Sigma Alpha – National Pol. Science Honor Society
- Honors: Dean’s Honor List
Published Works
- “Convincing Attorneys to Use Legal Assistants at Trial”, Legal Assistant Today, Vol. II No. 3, 1994
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Bar Association, Member
- Yolo County Bar Association, Member
- Yolo County Family Law Bar Association, Member
- Yolo County Superior Court, Mandatory Settlement Conference Facilitator
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Member
- Sacramento Collaborative Practice Group, Member
- Davis Waldorf School, Past Member – Board of Trustees
- Let It Flow, A California 501(c)3 Corporation, Past Member – Board of Directors
- Independent Order of Odd Fellows – Davis Lodge #169
Pro Bono Activities
- Yolo County Minor’s Counsel Panel
- Yolo County Superior Court, Mandatory Conference Settlement Facilitator
- Yolo County Family Justice Center