About Shari
Shari Sukaram trained on the West Coast. She earned a B.A. from the University of California, San Diego, then went on to receive her J.D. from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. Her academic background combined liberal arts study and law school work in California institutions, and it set the foundation for a career in criminal defense.
She began practicing criminal defense in 2007, joining Ahmed & Sukaram, Lawyers at Law. Early in her career she handled the kinds of tasks typical for defense counsel: client interviews, pretrial motions and courtroom appearances. Over time she took on more complex matters and continued to work through trial and post-trial phases. Her experience dates back to the mid-2000s and extends through the present year.
Sukaram is licensed to practice in California and is admitted to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. That combination allows her to represent clients in state proceedings and to handle matters that proceed to federal appellate review. She has represented individuals in a range of criminal matters and has moved between trial court advocacy and appellate filings as the cases required.
Colleagues and court records show a steady practice rather than sporadic appearances. She has worked in firm settings and has experience managing the practical demands of criminal defense work: client counseling, negotiations with prosecutors, and courtroom litigation. Her background at Ahmed & Sukaram reflects years spent in defense practice rather than in another field of law.
Sukaram maintains offices in Redwood City and San Jose. Those locations place her in the Bay Area courts where much of her work is based. She meets clients and handles case preparation from those offices, and she appears in court as the calendar and filings require.
As of 2026 she continues to practice criminal defense. Her daily work involves representing clients in criminal proceedings and handling related appellate matters from the firm's Redwood City and San Jose offices.
