Overview
Lena Silva focuses her practice on commercial litigation and white-collar defense and investigations. She represents clients on both sides of the 'v' and across a broad range of industries with cases spanning from the representation of individual plaintiffs to bet-the-company business disputes with parallel white collar, regulatory and criminal investigations. She is an experienced litigator in both state and federal courts, as well as in private arbitrations.
Lena has served as first and second-chair trial counsel, leading jury selection, presenting a named plaintiff, and handling cross examination of half a dozen witnesses, including an expert. She has significant experience handling all phases of discovery. She has also drafted, argued and won dispositive motions and served as appellate support on legal issues to trial counsel, including successful pretrial oral arguments leading to exclusion of an expert. Lena is at home in the courtroom, a dedicated community servant, and a lawyer you want on your team.
- Texas
- US District Court, Southern District of Texas
- US District Court, Northern District of Texas
- US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- Hon. David Briones, US District Court, Western District of Texas, 2018-2020
- J.D., University of Texas School of Law, 2018, Associate Editor, The Hispanic Journal of Law and Policy
- B.A., Rice University, 2013, with honors, Psychology and Women's Studies
Representative Matters
Includes matters before joining Steptoe.
- Lead associate on team representing defendant in connection with billion-dollar breach of contract and fiduciary duty lawsuit. Managed all phases of discovery; took, and defended multiple depositions, including of CFO and corporate representatives. Led dozens of witness interviews for related white-collar criminal investigation. Matter settled favorably two weeks before final arbitration.
- First-chair jury trial as plaintiff’s counsel in suit against national company for negligence and deceptive trade practices claim, including cross-examination of defendant's expert.
- Second-chair in federal evidentiary hearing, including cross-examination of petitioner, In re Allan Andres Cevallos Sarzosa v. Cryster Dennisse Vergara Enriquez, 3:24-cv-89. Judge ruled in client’s favor.
- Second-chair in pro bono death penalty writ of habeas corpus evidentiary hearing. Final ruling is pending.
- Drafted successful motion for summary judgment and attorney’s fees In re US Steel, 2019-66559.
- Prepared CEO to testify in successful federal antitrust lawsuit In re Federal Trade Commission v. Tempur Sealy International, Inc. et al., 4:24-cv-02508.
Noteworthy
- Lawdragon 500 X, The Next Generation (2024)
- The State Bar of Texas Minority Counsel Program Rising Star (2024)
Professional Affiliations
- President, Houston Young Lawyers Association, 2025-2026
- Hispanic National Bar Association, 2023-present
- Board Member, Houston Arts Alliance, 2024-present
- Latina Lawyers Network, 2022-present
- Board Member, Hispanic Bar Association of Houston, 2021-present
- Awarded President’s Award for Service, 2022-2024