By Neha Malhi
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón appointed former veteran prosecutor Sharon Woo to serve as a Chief Deputy District Attorney on July 16.
“I am very pleased to welcome Sharon to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, where she will help me realize the criminal justice reforms that I promised voters,” said Gascón.
Sharon Woo started her legal career as a district attorney in Santa Clara County after graduating with a bachelor’s degree from UCLA and a law degree from the University Of San Francisco School of Law.
As a newly appointed Chief District Attorney, Woo will help the District attorney in the day-to-day operations of the prosecutorial office of Los Angeles—the largest local prosecutorial office in the nation.
District Attorney George Gascón also thanked Interim Chief Deputy District Attorney Joseph Iniguez for his leadership in the past seven months.
“Joseph helped me implement a series of office policies that reflect the will of the people of Los Angeles County. He will continue to play a vital role in my administration in his next executive management assignment,” Gascón said.
Woo’s commendable career as a veteran prosecutor includes serving as chief of operations for the Department of Police Accountability in San Francisco. During her eight years of service there, she worked extensively with the California Department Of Justice on 270 collaborative reform initiatives. These reforms were recommended by the U.S. Department of Justice for “assessing necessary policing improvements in various areas, including use of force, bias, community policing practices, and accountability.”
The elimination of cash bail, Proposition 47, which includes the dismissal of prior cannabis convictions and reducing felony convictions, are policies implemented by Woo while serving as Chief Deputy of the San Francisco’s District Attorney’s office.
During her 21 years career as Assistant District Attorney of San Francisco, Woo also served in the Criminal Division and actively led the narcotics and domestic violence trial teams. She also served as an Assistant District Attorney in prosecuting community violence.
“She is an accomplished attorney with a proven record of leading change,” said Gascón.
Neha is graduating from UCLA this summer with economics degree. She is from Los Angeles, California.
