Charles (Charley) Rothermel is co-chair of the firm’s Dental Malpractice Group and a leading advocate for victims of personal injury and medical negligence, including wrongful death claims. He represents clients seriously harmed by dentists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, endodontists, orthodontists, periodontists, pediatric dentists, dental anesthesiologists, and other healthcare providers.
Charley handles complex dental malpractice cases involving inferior alveolar nerve and lingual nerve injuries, failures to diagnose oral cancer, severe dental infections, significant restorative errors such as improper implants and root canals, excessive orthodontic treatment, and wrongful extraction. Beyond this niche, he litigates a wide range of medical malpractice and wrongful death cases involving surgical errors, diagnostic errors, and treatment mismanagement. His medical knowledge in this specialized area allows him to build litigation strategies tailored to each client’s specific circumstances.
Before focusing on dental and medical malpractice, Charley litigated maritime personal injury claims in New Orleans under Federal and General Maritime Law, cases that required deep command of a specialized and complex area of law. That litigation background fueled a profound passion for cases involving a blend of legal and medical analysis.
Charley is licensed in Virginia, Louisiana, and Washington, D.C., including federal courts in both Virginia and Louisiana. A respected figure in the legal community, he sits on the Board of Governors for the Trial Lawyers’ Association of D.C. and is named among The Best Lawyers in America in the field of Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. He contributed as a reviewer for the Legal Responsibilities chapter of the latest edition of Pathways of the Pulp, a leading endodontic textbook used in dental schools, and regularly serves on the faculty of continuing legal education programs. He is an active member of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, the American Association for Justice, the Alexandria Bar Association, and the Fairfax Bar Association, where he served as co-chair of the Law Practice Management Section from 2016 to 2019.
Charley earned his B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from Tulane University, then went on to Tulane Law School, where he was a published member of the Maritime Law Journal, the preeminent student-edited law journal in the field of Admiralty and Maritime Law, and served on the Moot Court Board. He developed his passion for litigation as a competitor and coach at national mock trial competitions, earning him induction into the Order of Barristers for his mock trial performance. He held an externship with Hon. Carl Barbier in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana during the Deepwater Horizon litigation and served as Director of the Tulane University Legal Assistance Program’s Civil Clinic.
Outside the courtroom, Charley is a performer at heart. He has appeared on stage, in television, and in film, and has contributed vocals, guitar, and keyboards to rock bands, once touring Europe as a singer and folk dancer. Today he performs solo and with multiple ensembles, most notably the Alexandria Harmonizers, a distinguished men’s a cappella chorus renowned for their exceptional musicality and dynamic performances — recently capturing 4th Place Bronze at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s 2026 International Contest. When not on stage, he spends his free time outdoors with friends and family, enjoying skydiving, hiking, camping, and boating.
