Press Release

August 8, 2023. Buchalter is pleased to welcome new Shareholders Agustin Ceballos and Daniel Silva to the firm’s San Diego office. Ceballos joins as a member of the Corporate and Tax, Benefits and Estate Planning practice groups, and Silva is a new member of the White Collar & Investigations and Litigation practice groups.

"We are delighted to welcome Agustin and Daniel," said Adam Bass, President and Chief Executive Officer of Buchalter. "Agustin has a deep knowledge of corporate and tax matters, and Daniel has extensive trial and investigation experience. Their exceptional skills and experience align perfectly with our firm's commitment to excellence and providing comprehensive legal solutions."

Ceballos has a proven track record of providing exceptional counsel to clients in a wide range of complex tax and estate planning matters. His representative work includes advising on multi-generation succession planning for foreign nationals, cross-border estate and tax planning, compliance with FATCA and CRS regulations, structuring U.S. and Mexican investments, tax implications of business operations for foreign investors, and more.

He has been well-recognized for his achievements, including receiving the Fulbright Garcia-Robles Scholarship. He actively participates in professional organizations such as the State Bar of California's International & Taxation Law Sections and the San Diego County Bar Association, where he serves on the Executive Committee for the International Law and Immigration Section of the California Lawyers Association

“I am honored to join Buchalter and its esteemed Corporate and Tax, Benefits and Estate Planning practice groups," said Ceballos. "Buchalter's reputation for excellence, its commitment to client success, and its collaborative approach to problem-solving make it an ideal platform for serving clients effectively. I look forward to working alongside talented colleagues and providing strategic counsel to our clients."

Silva is a former financial crimes prosecutor and in-house global risk counsel at an international financial technology company with extensive trial, investigation, and risk assessment experience. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney in San Diego, he led hundreds of investigations into financial crimes, anti-money laundering (“AML”) violations, fraud, and forfeiture, often involving cooperating witnesses and whistleblowers. Many of his cases worked conducted in parallel with federal law enforcement agencies and financial regulators like the SEC, FinCEN, federal and state tax authorities, OFAC, and banking regulators. He has received some of the highest awards these agencies could bestow. After leading many of the most influential AML prosecutions in the U.S., Silva has been retained as an expert witness, taught at law schools in the United States and Mexico, and trained prosecutors, financial professionals, investigators, and foreign law enforcement.

“Buchalter’s White Collar & Investigations team continues to expand its areas of expertise, as well as the size and sophistication of matters it handles. I am thrilled to add my skills to the team and eager to put that experience to work on behalf of clients as they navigate all their criminal, civil, regulatory, and forfeiture issues,” added Silva.

In addition to representing businesses and individuals in complex criminal, civil, and forfeiture litigation, Silva advises clients engaged in regulatory enforcement actions and internal investigations. He draws on his prior role as risk counsel for Stripe—a global financial technology (“fintech”) and payments company—to provide first-hand guidance to digital startups, emerging payment and finance systems, and web3 companies.

“Both Augustin and Daniel are impressive additions to the Firm and in San Diego,” added Bass. “Further expansion of our footprint in San Diego is underway, and we are excited about our plans for continued growth.”