San Diego County's top lawyer out in new Democratic majority shakeup
| San Diego County's top attorney Claudia Silva |
San Diego County's Top Lawyer Ousted in First Major Shakeup Under New Democratic Majority
Claudia Silva's sudden departure marks fourth turnover in county counsel position since 2020
By Staff Reporter
July 23, 2025
San Diego County's top attorney Claudia Silva was forced out Wednesday following a hastily called performance evaluation, marking the first major personnel move by the Board of Supervisors' newly formed Democratic majority.
Silva's departure came just hours after a special closed-door session—announced only one day prior—where supervisors discussed her performance evaluation. The meeting culminated with Silva sending an email to her staff announcing Wednesday was her last day and that she was "headed into retirement."
"I can say without hesitation, my service to you and this county over the past three years have been the highlight of my career," Silva wrote to her staff. "My heart swells with pride as I think of each and every one of you who help further our mission."
Political Timing Raises Questions
The timing of Silva's ouster appears directly connected to the political shift that occurred Tuesday when newly elected Supervisor Paloma Aguirre was sworn in, giving Democrats a 3-2 majority on the board for the first time since early 2023.
Aguirre, Imperial Beach's mayor, won a special election earlier this month to fill the District 1 seat vacated by Nora Vargas, who resigned in December citing "personal safety and security reasons." The victory restored Democratic control to a board that had been evenly split 2-2 between Democrats Terra Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe, and Republicans Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond.
On Tuesday, the newly constituted board elected Lawson-Remer as chair, Montgomery Steppe as vice chair, and Aguirre as chair pro tem in a 3-1-1 vote, with Desmond opposing and Anderson abstaining.
Silva's Background and Career
Silva, 54, brought extensive legal experience to the county counsel role. She joined San Diego County in 2016 as assistant county counsel after serving 11 years at the City of National City, including six years as city attorney. Before that, she spent 12 years at the San Diego City Attorney's Office as a litigator and advisory attorney.
As county counsel since September 2022, Silva oversaw a full-service law office of 111 attorneys and 74 support staff with a budget of approximately $34 million. Her responsibilities included serving as chief legal advisor to the Board of Supervisors and representing the county in all civil actions and proceedings.
During her tenure, Silva had received positive performance reviews from supervisors. In December 2024, the board awarded her a salary increase of roughly 7% after a performance evaluation found the higher pay was warranted, bringing her annual salary to approximately $275,000.
Prior to becoming county counsel, Silva served as director of the Office of Ethics and Compliance from January 2019 to September 2022, where she launched the Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement. She also served as executive lead for the Leon Williams Human Relations Commission and chaired the Diversity & Inclusion Executive Council.
Pattern of Turnover
Silva's departure represents the fourth vacancy in the county's top legal position since 2020, highlighting the instability that has plagued the office during a period of significant political transition.
The turnover began in 2020 when longtime County Counsel Thomas Montgomery departed. Thomas Bunton, a senior assistant in the office, was named county counsel in late 2020 in one of the last acts of the Republican-led board before Democrats took majority control following the November 2020 elections.
However, the newly elected Democratic majority launched a national search in early 2021 and hired Lonnie Eldridge, former city attorney of Simi Valley, at a base salary of nearly $287,000. Eldridge lasted exactly one year, leaving on June 30, 2022—again following a closed-session performance evaluation with no public explanation provided.
Silva was then promoted from her ethics compliance role to serve as acting county counsel before being formally appointed to the position in September 2022.
Broader Context and Challenges
The County Counsel's Office has faced significant challenges in recent years, particularly related to litigation involving the Sheriff's Department. The county has paid millions in settlements for wrongful death cases and excessive force incidents, including more than $8 million to the family of Nicholas Bils, an unarmed man with schizophrenia who was fatally shot by a deputy while running from the downtown jail.
The office has also grappled with high-profile departures beyond the top position. According to reports, three department chiefs within the law office left the county during the first half of 2022 alone.
Democratic Majority's Agenda
The new Democratic majority has already signaled significant policy shifts. Recent board actions have included strengthening sanctuary policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, expanding the Immigrant Legal Defense Program, and preparing contingency plans for anticipated federal funding cuts under the Trump administration.
Chair Lawson-Remer has outlined an agenda focused on defending democracy, protecting essential services, and fighting federal policies that could harm county residents. The board has also taken decisive action on climate change, wildfire preparedness, and the ongoing Tijuana River sewage crisis.
Lucrative Severance Package Revealed
New details emerged about Silva's departure following a records request by Voice of San Diego, which revealed the terms of her separation agreement signed last Wednesday. Silva is set to receive a substantial payout worth at least $535,000, including a lump sum equivalent to 18 months of her nearly $363,000 annual salary when her paid leave expires on August 22.
The separation agreement is notably more generous than Silva's original 2022 employment contract, which guaranteed only 12 months of salary if she was terminated. The county will deduct approximately $9,000 from the lump sum for Silva's share of county-backed insurance coverage, which the county has agreed to continue providing for 18 months. Silva will also receive separate payments for unused vacation time and potentially half the value of unused sick time.
In exchange for these terms, Silva agreed to release the county from liability related to her departure or other potential issues.
When asked why the county offered Silva more generous terms than her contract required, county spokesperson Tammy Glenn called it a "confidential personnel matter" but expressed gratitude for Silva's service, noting the county "wishes her all the best on this well-earned next chapter."
Legal Complications and Timing
Silva's departure comes amid broader legal challenges facing the county, including a lawsuit from former county executive Michael Vu, who alleges Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer engaged in an "illegal backroom deal" to block his pursuit of the county's top administrative position. The arrangement allegedly also involved Paul Worlie, now Aguirre's chief of staff.
Silva had become entangled in the Vu lawsuit due to an email from then-County Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer about the alleged arrangement. Vu's attorney Chip Edleson said his legal team had recently informed the county they wanted to depose Silva, viewing her testimony as potentially crucial to their case.
"We believed this would properly present the question of whether the key email from the former CAO was a notice of improper and illegal conduct, a complaint, and therefore not a privileged attorney/client communication, or was a request for legal advice and services," Edleson explained.
The timing of Silva's performance review—called by Lawson-Remer just one day after Aguirre's swearing-in—has raised questions about whether it was connected to the pending litigation or broader political considerations.
Additional Challenges
As county counsel, Silva also oversaw the county's response to numerous lawsuits involving deaths in county jails. This week, the county appears likely to face sanctions from a federal judge for failing to preserve key surveillance footage related to a 2022 in-custody death, highlighting ongoing challenges in the Sheriff's Department litigation.
Despite these legal complexities, Silva had received positive performance reviews, including a 7% salary increase approved by supervisors in December 2024 after what was described as a favorable evaluation.
Supervisor Reactions
Most supervisors, including Lawson-Remer, did not respond to requests for comment about Silva's departure. However, Supervisor Joel Anderson expressed disappointment about losing Silva's services.
"Claudia's departure was a huge blow to my constituents," Anderson said in a statement, though he declined to comment on the closed-door performance review that led to her exit.
What's Next
The Board of Supervisors met Thursday in a closed special session to discuss appointing an acting county counsel. The county has not announced potential candidates or a timeline for conducting a permanent search for Silva's replacement.
The substantial severance package and the circumstances surrounding Silva's departure highlight the significant costs—both financial and institutional—of the ongoing instability in the county's top legal position.
Sources
- Robinson, Lucas. "San Diego County's top lawyer is out, in first major shakeup under supervisors' new Democratic majority." San Diego Union-Tribune, July 23, 2025. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/07/23/san-diego-countys-top-lawyer-is-out-in-first-major-shakeup-under-supervisors-new-democratic-majority/
- County of San Diego. "County Counsel Claudia G. Silva." Official county website. https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/cao/county-counsel.html
- "San Diego County Board of Supervisors elects Terra Lawson-Remer as chair." Times of San Diego, July 22, 2025. https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2025/07/22/san-diego-county-board-of-supervisors-elects-terra-lawson-remer-as-chair/
- "Paloma Aguirre apparent winner in District 1 Supervisor race." NBC 7 San Diego, July 2, 2025. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/election-results-supervisor-district-1-race/3860072/
- Suzuki, Kori. "Live election results: San Diego County District 1 Supervisor." KPBS Public Media, July 1, 2025. https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2025/07/01/live-election-results-san-diego-county-district-1-supervisor
- "Aguirre poised to win county supervisor special election." Axios San Diego, July 2, 2025. https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2025/07/02/aguirre-mccann-special-election-county-supervisor-district-1
- Robinson, Lucas. "San Diego County supervisors award pay raises to three top appointees." San Diego Union-Tribune, December 26, 2024. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/12/26/san-diego-county-supervisors-award-pay-raises-to-three-top-appointees/
- "County Counsel placed on leave without explanation; office now has fourth leader in past two years." San Diego Union-Tribune, July 1, 2022. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/story/2022-07-01/county-counsel-placed-on-leave-without-explanation-office-now-has-fourth-leader-in-past-two-years
- "San Diego new county counsel Lonnie Eldridge from Reagan country." San Diego Reader, June 16, 2021. https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2021/jun/16/radar-san-diego-county-counsel-lonnie-eldridge/
- "San Diego County Board of Supervisors." Wikipedia, accessed July 23, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_County_Board_of_Supervisors
- Halverstadt, Lisa. "Abruptly Retired County Lawyer to Get Big Payout." Voice of San Diego, July 25, 2025. https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/07/25/abruptly-retired-county-lawyer-to-get-big-payout/
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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