John-Russell Bart Pate

As a friend of Attorney Pate's plaintiff, I came to the courtroom to sit in the gallery to support my friend. What I witnessed in Attorney Pate was a man of conviction, working tirelessly to pursue justice for his client. I was moved to tears by Attorney Pate's closing argument to the jury. He not ...only fought for fair treatment and a more just world for his client, but for all Virgin Islanders and visitors to have a right to safety and security on commercial premises.

Hess can trick and Hess can play But Justice, she will come one day. Hess can run and Hess can hide From when my father died. Hess has filed a fake bankruptcy From those they sicken, oh Hess does flee. But like my father’s lungs, Choked with asbestos he inhale Hess scheming plans will fail. ...As oil will float to the top of water I pray justice will come to my deserving father. Others breathe shallow breaths The logo “Hess” once across their chests. In that refinery, they gave their best To earn a reward of an early death. Struggling to breathe while cancer grows From the years of work where asbestos blows. “We are helping the USVI” This was Hess’ very big lie Why did you not protect them from cancer This Hess will not answer. Instead, Hess runs and hides Another day, another former worker dies, His sons, his daughters, left to cry. Oh most High hear our Prayer Hess may have never cared It’s god has always been the Almighty Dollar So it’s workers were just lambs to the slaughter Their health no more than a wager or a bet But now, our fathers’ lives are Hess’ debt Long overdue and never paid Justice denied and justice delayed So Hess can trick and Hess can play But Justice. Justice will come one Day. ~Moses Gottlieb

Attorney Pate, I must tell you, how blessed the people of the Virgin Islands are, to have you and your team representing us. You are so down to earth, and real!! No matter how busy you are, you find time to respond to your clients ..I truly care about people...greatly appreciate you. Blessings to yo...u and your family.  Humberto D.

I wash my husbands coverall when he worked at Hess in the 1980s. Those clothes were dirty, dusty and smelled so bad. But I never know that the dust was damaging my lungs. I learned that the 1972 law that OHSA law that Hess was supposed to have showers and changing rooms for all the workers so they... could change out of the asbestos clothes and put on clean clothes to come home. But Hess never build the showers and changing rooms. They just sent the men home. They never tell the men they are taking hom asbestos to their families! These men went to work to support their families - not to bring danger home to their families. So so many woman like me, been washing their mans clothes and now we exposed to the asbestos in our lungs. Many of my friends who washed coveralls like me, start having breathing problems too. And we never smoke and we do morning walking. Attorney Pate is the first attorney who start to look out for us, as we had been forgotten. Thank you Attorney Pate.