After receiving her JD magna cum laude in 1985, Burkhard immediately joined Sinkler & Boyd, PA, in Columbia, South Carolina, where she spent eight years as a litigation attorney.
She now brings her accrued knowledge to work at the University of South Carolina School of Law, where she works with students and alumni in recognizing their individual goals and skills while also assisting them in the development of a career plan to reach these goals. She encourages students to explore career opportunities beyond the large firms through networking.
Her current professional memberships include the South Carolina Bar Association and the National Association for Law Placement. In the past she was active within the Diversity and Inclusiveness Committee, the Law Related Education Committee, the Quality of Life Committee, the Judicial Clerkship Committee, and the Nominating Committee.
Prior to attending law school, Burkhard was a high school English teacher and counselor at Linden McKinley High School in Ohio. She also served as a substitute teacher and counselor for two years in the early 1970s.
She earned her MA in education and counseling from the Ohio State University and holds a BA in English from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. During her studies at the University of South Carolina School of Law, Burkhard served as the Executive editor of the South Carolina Law Review and functioned as a legal writing instructor.
