Gordon C. Rhea, P.C., 2009 - Present.
Serves as "of counsel" to Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook, and Brickman and as the principal of Gordon C. Rhea, P.C. in civil and criminal litigation nationwide.
Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook, and Brickman, 2003 – 2009.
Member, handling a variety of complex civil and criminal cases with a specialty in toxic torts, groundwater and industrial pollution, and white collar criminal defense.
Gordon C. Rhea, P.C., 1997 – 2002.
Worked as sole practitioner co-counseling with major national firms in large-scale litigation, including a class action involving some three thousand residents in the Virgin Islands claiming damages flowing from exposure to silicas and heavy metals, including chromium-6, released from a bauxite refinery.
Partner, Law Firm of Alkon and Rhea, 1982-1996.
Founded prominent plaintiff’s litigating firm in the United States Virgin Islands, specializing in toxic tort litigation. Over a period of fifteen years, brought a host of cases against the Hess Oil refinery and the Martin Marietta bauxite refinery in the Virgin Islands for toxic exposure to workers, including asbestos, heavy-metal catalysts, silica, solvents, and isocyanate paints. Also brought ground-breaking product liability cases against automobile manufacturers involving injuries caused by vehicle instability, firewall failures, and occupant protection failures. Handled litigation involving airplane crashes, turbulence encounters, and a wide range of catastrophic worker related injuries. Served as co-counsel in litigation against Exxon, ESSO, Texaco and others for contaminating the sole-source aquifer on the island of St. Thomas with petroleum and chlorinated hydrocarbons. Extensive appellate work in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
Assistant United States Attorney, U. S. Virgin Islands, 1981-1982.
Prosecuted major felonies in the Virgin Islands.
Assistant United States Attorney, Washington D.C., 1976-1981.
Prosecuted criminal cases in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia and in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Served rotations in the grand jury, felony trial, and appellate divisions. Served as the Deputy Director of Superior Court Operations, overseeing all felony prosecutions in the District of Columbia, and as the Executive Assistant United States Attorney, with responsibility for coordinating with local and Federal law enforcement agencies, reviewing major local and Federal prosecutions, and assisting in managing the office of more than 160 civil and criminal lawyers.
Special Assistant to the Chief Counsel, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Activities, Washington, D.C., 1975-1976.
Worked closely with chief counsel of Senate committee investigating potential abuses by the intelligence community, including attempts to assassinate foreign leaders and undermine domestic political movements. Extensive work acquiring documents, deposing witnesses, and writing reports and draft legislation. A major contributor to reports on CIA attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro and on FBI attempts to discredit Martin Luther King.
Law Offices of Barry Tarlow, Los Angeles, California. Associate, 1974-1975
Specialized in complex criminal cases and appeals to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Woodcraftsman, Thales Marine, 1970-1971.
United States Peace Corps, Ethiopia, 1968-1970
Worked as a teacher and as a community development worker in remote villages in the Ethiopian highlands and in the Ogaden desert, near Somalia.