Sharon Burnham
Assistant United States Attorney
Ms. Burnham graduated in June 1977 with a B.S. in Chemistry, minor in math, with distinction, from the University of Redlands, California. She was a graduate student in Organic Chemistry, University of Hawaii, from 1978-1979. In May 1985, Ms. Burnham received her J.D. from the William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii.
Prior to her J.D., she was a Marine Chemist, a Chemistry and Math Teacher, Legal Research Assistant and an Extern for the Honorable District Court Judge Harold Fong.
From 1985-1987 she was an Attorney for the law firm of Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel, then joined Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering from 1987-1988.
Ms. Burnham was sworn in as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii in 1989 and transferred to the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia in 1997. Currently, Ms. Burnham is the Asset Forfeiture Chief for this District, overseeing all criminal and civil forfeiture actions against illegally used or obtained assets. Ms. Burnham is also the District Election Officer, monitoring the election process for fraud and abuse. She also prosecutes criminal cases involving environmental laws, counterfeiting, drugs, violent crimes, and fraud.