Richard M. Denholm II is a general practitioner and owner of Denholm Law LLC (licensed in Ohio - 1991) and Denholm Law PLLC (licensed in Washington, D.C. - 1993). He retired from the FBI after serving as a Special Agent and Supervisory Special Agent for over 22 years. He began his career as an enforcement attorney at the U.S. Federal Election Commission in Washington, D.C. and practiced there for four years gaining extensive experience dealing with election law and campaign finance law.
Subsequently, he accepted an appointment as an FBI Special Agent. Throughout his FBI career, Rich led significant, high-profile investigations across all FBI programs including public corruption, white collar crime, drugs, violent crime and terrorism. He often worked with FBI Chief Division Counsel in the field and the FBI's Office of General Counsel. As a special agent in Youngstown, Ohio, he led anti-corruption investigations against corrupt government officials resulting in numerous convictions and the removal of those officials from office. He received the Attorney General's Award in 2003 for leading the investigation of a U.S. Congressman. He was promoted within the FBI several times during his career and served at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. As Unit Chief of the FBI's Public Corruption program at FBIHQ, Rich oversaw the investigation and conviction of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. He served as the FBI’s Deputy Director to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Fusion Center and led efforts of federal law enforcement to share intelligence across all agencies of the U.S. Government. He is a certified FBI law enforcement instructor and has taught courses of instruction to all levels of federal, state and local law enforcement.
After retiring from the FBI, Rich obtained certification as a federal background investigator and provided background investigation services to the government.
In addition to owning Denholm Law, Rich currently is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. At GMU, he teaches courses in Intelligence, Advanced Analytical Techniques, and Anti-Corruption law and case studies. He has published two textbooks on these subjects.
Further, he currently serves as a Director for A1C Partners, LLC of Maryland where he continues to provide policy and law enforcement expertise and advice to the government and has extensive experience working in the federal contracting, business development, and personnel spaces.
Rich graduated from the University of Akron with a B.A. in Political Science (1988) and the University of Akron School of Law (1991) earning his Juris Doctorate. He has also attended Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and earned a certificate in Leading and Navigating Strategic Change and also earned certificates in Negotiation and Deposition Strategy from Northwestern University.