About R. Tamara de
R. Tamara de Silva began her academic path at the University of Chicago, where she completed undergraduate studies in philosophy and history in 1989. She went on to attend Loyola University School of Law before entering practice in Illinois. Her background in the liberal arts is a frequent reference point in courtroom strategy and legal writing, according to colleagues.
Her career has been grounded in litigation. She is admitted to practice in Illinois and before the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She also holds membership in the Federal Trial Bar and is a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States. Those credentials allow her to handle matters that move from state courts into the federal system.
De Silva’s professional affiliations trace a steady alignment with trial and defense organizations. She joined the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel in 2008. That same year she became a member of the American Association for Justice. She has been a member of the Federal Bar Association since 2009 and joined Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity in 2010. She remains active in the Illinois State Bar Association.
Over time her practice has centered on courtroom litigation. She has represented clients in both criminal defense contexts and in civil trials where contested issues require a courtroom presence. Her memberships reflect that orientation; they also provide regular contact with peers who handle appeals, federal filings and jury trials.
De Silva operates from her own office, the Law Offices of R. Tamara de Silva. From there she manages trial preparations, oversees federal filings when they are necessary, and maintains the network of professional contacts that trial work often requires. Colleagues describe her as methodical in preparing records for appeal and deliberate about procedural strategy.
Outside the courtroom she participates in professional associations that keep her current on trial practice and federal procedure. Her standing with the Federal Trial Bar and the Supreme Court Bar means she can accept cases that progress beyond state court, including filings in the Seventh Circuit. She continues to handle a mix of criminal defense and civil trial matters in her private practice.
Her current practice concentrates on criminal defense and civil trial matters at the Law Offices of R. Tamara de Silva.
