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| The SILLAS LAW FIRM provides legal services to public entities and the private sector. It’s founder, Herman Sillas has over fifty years of experience as a dedicated and committed attorney seeking social justice for his clients. LEGAL COUNSEL WITH UNDERSTANDING
The firm has provided successful defenses in wrongful termination, civil rights actions, torts, premise liability, slander, and breach of contracts. In addition the firm has provided legal services in condemnation and education matters. Areas of representation include:
MAJOR PAST AND PRESENT CLIENTS
General Counsel for: Richgrove Elementary School District
Mexican American Opportunity Foundation California Association for Bilingual Education ListoAmerica, Inc. FIRM EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION SPECIAL HONORS AND ACTIVITIES
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY Herman Sillas started his legal career in Los Angeles as a sole practitioner in 1960. In 1967 Jose Mariano Castillo joined him as a partner in the law practice. In addition to a large civil and criminal law practice, Sillas handled administrative matters, before state and municipal agencies. He served as counsel to numerous corporations and to a national bank. He became a specialist in construction law and lectured to the bar and the building industry. In 1974, Governor Jerry Brown invited Sillas to join the Governor’s transitional team as a special assistant to the Governor. Upon completing his duties as a special assistant, Sillas was appointed to be Director of California’s Department of Motor Vehicles by Governor Brown. During his tenure, he established an internal due process procedure for auto dealers and salespersons accused of license violations. He was the originator of many innovative D.M.V. programs, including Saturday hours, child care centers for D.M.V. Sacramento employees, automatic license renewal and administra¬tive adjudication of traffic tickets. Sillas was labeled the "unconventional bureaucrat" by the media. During his directorship, D.M.V. was voted the outstanding department in state government by the State Legislature. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed Sillas as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of the State of California. He served in that capacity until October of 1980. As the United States Attorney he supervised all federal civil litigation in the district and was the chief federal prosecutor in one of the largest districts, geographically, in the nation. He was instrumental in achieving the settlement of the celebrated Roseville explosion case, which involved over three hundred plaintiffs. He established a civil rights section within the U.S. Attorney's Sacramento Office. Sillas also was a lecturer at U.C. Davis Law School. In 1980, he returned to private practice and became a partner in a state-wide firm. In that capacity, he litigated both in the federal and state courts on matters dealing with wrongful termination, premise liability, condemnation, construction, and tort actions. The law firm dissolved in December 2002. Today, in addition to practicing law, Sillas is a columnist for the San Clemente Sun Post and his “View from the Pier” is a favorite of the newspaper’s readers. He is also a contributing author to the Hispanic Link Syndication. Sillas, as an artist, is a partner of Herman Sillas Fine Art and paints on a regular basis at Art Gallery 104 in San Clemente where his work is on display and may also be seen at this website. Click here to view Herman's work. |
Although Herman Sillas has served as a successful litigator, he recognizes that resolutions of issues through the courts is an expensive proposition for all parties concerned. Consequently, he constantly seeks avenues that will cause opponents to reconsider their legal and economic positions and seek reasonable solutions. When settlement is not an option acceptable to the client, he will place the client’s story in its best light before the trier of the case, be it a judge, jury, arbitrator, mediator, or hearing officer.
HERMAN
SILLAS