About Silvia Villanueva
Attorney
Silvia Villanueva has been a licensed, practicing attorney in Nevada for nearly a decade. She has worked on behalf of law enforcement, labor unions, firefighters, teachers and Americans with disabilities. Her experience includes representing plaintiffs in personal injury matters, defending clients in breach of contract claims brought by credit card and financial services companies, and representing both employers and employees in employment related disputes.
Ms. Villanueva has represented clients in State and Federal district court in general civil litigation matters and matters involving the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and state employment practices under NRS 613. She helped her client blaze new trails by successfully petitioning Nevada’s Employee-Management Relations Board (EMRB) for designation as the Exclusive Bargaining Representative for State employed Non-Supervisory, Category I Peace Officers pursuant to SB 135 of Nevada’s 80th Legislative Session.
In 2020, Ms. Villanueva co-founded the law firm of Adler & Villanueva where she specifically focused on representing Plaintiffs and helping individuals experiencing tragedy navigate the legal system. She works with Nevadans across the state from Nevada’s most pastoral parts like Lyon County, Storey County and Nye County, to its more populous areas like Las Vegas and Reno. Following the retirement of her law partner, she joined the law firm of Black & Wadhams in 2024 where she predominantly focuses her practice on estate planning, asset protection, contested and uncontested probate matters, as well as trust administration and litigation.
Bar Admissions
• Nevada
• District of Columbia
Education
• William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, JD
• University of Nevada, Reno, BA
Awards & Recognitions
• 2023 – Nevada Business Magazine
• 2022 – State Bar of Nevada Trailblazer
Boards & Community Service
• 2021 – Present – Planning Commissioner, City of Reno
• President, William S. Boyd School of Law Alumni Association
• Member, State Bar of Nevada, Probate and Trust Section
• Member, First Judicial District Bar Association
• Member, Nevada Latino Bar Association
Ms. Villanueva regularly stays connected to the community through board memberships, volunteer efforts and pro bono work. During her time as an executive board member for the UNLV Boyd School of Law Alumni chapter, including during her time as President, she assisted with ensuring adequate funding for the Strive grant which provides repeat bar takers with financial assistance for costs and expenses associated with retaking the bar exam. She regularly mentored young, aspiring attorneys through the Huellas (“footprints”) program, which empowers and promotes the success of law students with backgrounds that are not traditionally represented in the legal profession. She has also volunteered at a number of ask-a-lawyer events through Nevada Legal Services and has provided many hours of pro-bono services for which she received a volunteer spotlight.
