Our Team

Biography

Jessica F. Silva concentrates her practice in the areas of municipal law, public contracts/government procurement, construction law (including design-build projects and public-private partnerships), affordable housing, cannabis, litigation, and labor and employment law.

As a member of the Firm’s public contracting and procurement practice, Jessica brings broad experience advising public entities on all aspects of government procurement and public contracting. She routinely manages complex multi-million dollar, multi-phase capital and infrastructure projects through the full contract lifecycle - from strategic planning and solicitation through execution and implementation, including post-contract tasks and downstream procurements. Her practice includes the structuring and management of design-build agreements, public-private partnerships, and large-scale construction contracts. Jessica also advises clients on contractual risk mitigation, bid protests, and negotiations with contractors and vendors.

Jessica provides comprehensive labor and employment counsel to public entities and management-side clients. She guides employers through the full spectrum of workforce management, from drafting of employee handbooks and workplace policies to advising on a broad range of federal and state employment issues including but not limited to hiring/recruitment, overtime, leaves of absence, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, disciplinary actions, terminations, and worker classification matters. Jessica also maintains a practice in traditional labor relations, with experience navigating the collective bargaining process, grievances, arbitrations, and matters before the Public Employment Relations Commission. Jessica has received certification in: (i) Public Sector Labor Relations; and (ii) Negotiation, Arbitration, and Conflict Resolution, both from the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations.

Jessica received her B.A., cum laude, in Political Science and Business Administration from Seton Hall University, where she was a University Scholar. During her time at Seton Hall, she was inducted into Pi Sigma Alpha, Phi Alpha Delta’s Society of Scholars, and served as Phi Alpha Delta’s community service chair. She also served as associate editor of Seton Hall University’s Political Analysis Journal.

She received her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, where she was a Riccio Scholar and Deehan Scholar. While at Seton Hall Law, Jessica was awarded the Appellate Advocacy Best Brief Award and served as associate editor of, and was a published author in, the Seton Hall Legislative Journal.

Jessica has been named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for Labor and Employment Law – Management, and as a New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Star for Government Contracts. [1]

[1] Attorney Advertising. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Inclusion in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America is based on peer review and professional achievement as evaluated by Best Lawyers®. Inclusion in the New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Stars list is issued by Thomson Reuters and is based on a patented selection process involving peer nominations, independent research, and professional evaluations. Descriptions of the selection methodologies are available at www.bestlawyers.com/methodology and www.superlawyers.com/about/selection_process.html. These recognitions do not imply any guarantee of future results or that the attorney is superior to other attorneys practicing law.