John Silva has been an active lawyer in Genoa City, Wisconsin, since 1989. He also volunteered his time for Legal Aid, and helped solve many cases with Christine Williams. His successful cases included representing Danny Romalotti against drug charges, Christine in her sexual harassment suit against Michael Baldwin, defending April Stevens Lynch for the murder of her dentist husband Robert, representing Jill Abbott in both her divorces from John and her claim on the Chancellor Mansion, representing Malcolm Winters in his divorce from Olivia, and representing Jack in his bid for custody of his son Kyle. John's primary clients were members of the Newman and Abbott families.

John's personal life was a mystery except for his brief involvement with Nina Webster, which ended because Nina felt inferior to the brilliant Mr. Silva, and a torrid affair with Jill Abbott, which ended mostly due to Jill's flightiness, and her inability to be honest with John.