Burton joins Venable law firm

Robert Burton, a nationally recognized federal procurement official, has joined Venable LLP as a partner in the law firm’s Government Contracts Group.

The group counsels government contractors on the federal procurement process.

For the past seven years, Burton served as deputy administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, the highest ranking career official in that office. He also spent two years as OFPP acting administrator.

As deputy administrator he was responsible for government acquisition policy and procurement guidance for all agencies. His office was charged with developing policy affecting more than $400 billion in annual federal spending, the Venable announcement said.

Burton previously spent 20 years as a high-ranking acquisition attorney at the Defense Department, including time at the Defense Contract Management Agency, where he advised on the acquisition of major DOD weapon systems, programs and contracts valued at more than $900 billion.

He also served as general counsel for DOD’s Defense Energy Support Center as well as associate general counsel for the Defense Logistics Agency.

Last year, Washington Technology’s sister publication Federal Computer Week named Burton the top “Power Player in Procurement.”

Burton received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary. He was also a senior executive fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.