Our Attorneys
Paul Van Der Walde
Founding Partner, Senior Trial Attorney
For over 20 years, Paul has tried cases in Santa Clara County courtrooms, where he has become a known face to judges, attorneys and legal professionals. At Caputo & Van Der Walde LLP, Paul gives his clients the full attention they need and uses the significant resources he has to fight when they cannot.
Paul Caputo
Founding Partner, Senior Trial Attorney
Paul Caputo has a long and successful history in courtrooms throughout Northern and Central California of fighting for injured victims against insurance companies and their clients in car accidents, wrongful death, and a wide variety of other personal injury cases.
Kathryn Montaperto
Attorney
Katie joined Caputo and Van Der Walde as a Litigation Associate in 2021, and now specializes in personal injury litigation cases. She is admitted to the State Bar Associations of both California and Massachusetts.
Shawn Smith
Case Manager
Shawn Smith is the firm’s Case Manager. He is a dedicated and motivated professional with over thirty years of extensive experience in all aspects of insurance claims handling and investigative procedures, including litigation and resolving complex personal liability claims. He is highly versed in liability claims for autos, homes, commercial, and property damage.
Julia Valencia
Senior Paralegal
Julia joined Van Der Walde & Associates in April 2005 and has been with our firm through the transition to Caputo & Van Der Walde, LLP. Julia provides paralegal support to everyone in the firm, including assistance with trial preparation, and is our lead paralegal. She also provides primary administrative support in the day-to-day running of the office.
Evangelina Trujeque
Paralegal
Evangelina is the litigation paralegal for founding partner Paul Caputo and works closely with clients through all phases of the case from intake through litigation, discovery and trial. One of her biggest assets is the relationship she naturally develops with each and every client. She is also known for her good nature and friendly demeanor.
Don Peeler
Legal Administrator & Intake Coordinator
With his detail-oriented style and keen eye for details, Don conducts the intake process in a way that benefits both our legal team and, of course, our clients. In many cases, he is the first team member to interact with our clients, and we rely on his excellent communication skills to make certain each potential new client is treated with respect and that the nuances of their cases are fully understood.
Corene Abrego
Paralegal
At Caputo & Van Der Walde, Corene uses her impeccable multitasking skills and customer service experience to help our clients through the litigation process from beginning to end. She truly cares for our clients and is always there to answer their calls, respond to their emails, and address their questions and concerns.