who was the lawyer in the erin brockovich case

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What is the real Erin Brockovich?

The real Erin was the youngest of four children born in Lawrence, Kansas. After earning an Associate degree in Applied Arts from Wade College in Dallas, Texas, she moved to California in 1982.

How much did Brockovich get from the settlement?

Brockovich’s attorneys received 133.6 million dollars from the settlement, while Brockovich herself received two million as a bonus. However, in the real story, Brockovich’s attorneys held onto her portion of the money for six months. They finally paid her portion after she threatened several lawsuits.

How much did the PG&E lawsuit cost?

PG&E settlement: When the case against PG&E settled in 1996 for $333 million, it was the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit in United States history.

Who was the actress in the 2000 movie "Against PG&E"?

Brockovich’s work against PG&E was the focus of the 2000 feature film, starring Julia Roberts. The film earned five Academy Award nominations, including Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Writing in a Screenplay. Roberts won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal ...

How to contact Hameroff Law Firm?

To schedule a free initial consultation with a Tucson personal injury attorney at The Hameroff Law Firm, PC, call (520) 792-4700. We offer honest answers and caring support from an experienced legal team. Our Tucson personal injury firm has more than a quarter century of experience.

Who is Tom Girardi?

Tom Girardi was the actual, real-life attorney who stepped in to help Erin Brockovich get justice for the residents of Hinkley, Calif. back in 1993. However, if you're looking for him in the movie, you won't find a guy named Girardi in the Julia Roberts film "Erin Brockovich." Instead, they turned the Girardi character into a fellow named Kurt Potter, played by Peter Coyote. However, Girardi was an advisor on the film and was closely involved with turning the true story into an Oscar-winning motion picture.

Was Peter Coyote on the set of Julia Roberts?

As he told Attorney At Law Magazine, "Peter Coyote played me. I was on the set every day and it was a true story. The thing that was good about it was that it did bring up a subject that nobody really gave any thought to before that time and obviously to see Julia Roberts five days a week wasn't too bad either."

Who is Tom Girardi's wife?

The Truth About Tom Girardi's Connection To Erin Brockovich. The Bravo-verse was shocked when Erika Jayne not only announced that she and her husband, lawyer Tom Girardi, were divorcing after 21 years of marriage, but that Tom was also charged with stealing or misappropriating over $13 million in settlements meant for his clients.

How much did Erin Brockovich make in 2000?

Erin Brockovich was released on March 17, 2000, in 2,848 theaters and grossed $28.1 million on its opening weekend. It went on to make $126.6 million in North America and $130.7 million in the rest of the world for a worldwide total of $257.3 million.

Why does Ed visit Erin in Hinkley?

Later, Ed visits Erin because he needs the documents she found while investigating, and she takes the chance to request her job back in return. Rehired, she continues her research, and over time, visits many Hinkley residents and gains their trust. Ed and Erin hold a barbecue in order to speak to many of the residents and explain to them what PG&E has been trying to get away with, at which point Erin is awkwardly flirted with by one of the men. Erin and Ed find numerous medical problems in Hinkley, and that virtually everyone has been treated by PG&E's doctors who have led them to believe their issues are unrelated to the "safe" chromium. The Jensens' claim for compensation ultimately becomes a major class action lawsuit. Unfortunately, Ed explains that all direct evidence is linked solely to PG&E Hinkley, rather than PG&E corporate. Until headquarters can be implicated, PG&E corporate can deny any knowledge of what's happening in Hinkley.

What does Erin know about Charles's cousin?

Erin realizes Charles has been trying to communicate with her, and is finally able to listen to his story. Charles tells Erin he and his cousin were both employees with PG&E Hinkley. Heartbroken, he tells her his cousin has just died; dying a painful death from the poison he interacted with at PG&E.

What is Julia Roberts' rating on Rotten Tomatoes?

It holds a certified "Fresh" rating of 84% on the film review website Rotten Tomatoes based on 148 reviews, with an average rating of 7.50/10. The consensus states, "Taking full advantage of Julia Roberts's considerable talent and appeal, Erin Brockovich overcomes a few character and plot issues to deliver a smart, thoughtful, and funny legal drama." On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 73 out of 100 based on 36 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews."

How much did Ed give Erin in the aftermath?

She begins complaining loudly that she deserves more respect, but is astonished to find that he has increased it—to $2 million.

Is Erin Brockovich compelling?

However, film critic Roger Ebert gave the film a two-star review, writing, "There is obviously a story here, but Erin Brockovich doesn't make it compelling. The film lacks focus and energy, the character development is facile and thin".

Who is the waitress in Traffic?

Soderbergh received a separate Best Director nomination for Traffic, another film released that same year, which he won. Early in the film, the real Erin Brockovich has a cameo appearance as a waitress named Julia; the real Ed Masry also appears in the same scene.

Who is Erin Brockovich's boss?

Erin Brockovich interviewed many people, found a way to get copies of incriminating records and discussed the whole situation with her law-firm boss, Ed Masry (Albert Finney). They decided to file a class-action lawsuit. It ultimately led to a huge settlement – $333 million – for the area residents.

Why were some of the plaintiffs upset with PG&E?

Some of the plaintiffs were upset because they believed PG&E did not respect them. As one of the plaintiffs told the Fox Reporter during the May 24, 1994 news report:

Did PG&E have any injuries?

Except, as PG&E claimed, not all the people were injured. It was one thing for PG&E to acknowledge its chrome 6 had contaminated the property around the compressor station. It was quite something else to agree the contamination had caused actual harm. Fear of harm – like fear of cancer – is not an injury. At least it wasn’t before this case. (Anderson, et al v Pacific Gas & Electric – San Bernardino Superior Court file BCV 00300).

Who played Ed Masry in Erin Brockovich?

Ed Masry, the flamboyant, crusading environmental lawyer portrayed by actor Albert Finney in the movie “Erin Brockovich,” which was based on Masry’s landmark $333-million settlement against Pacific Gas & Electric Co. for groundwater contamination in California’s high desert, has died. He was 73.

Why did Masry and Kissandra Cohen sue?

Masry blamed his instant fame for some unwanted publicity. Kissandra Cohen, a lawyer in his firm, sued him for wrongful termination and sexual harassment. The same day that civil suit was filed, Brockovich’s former husband and her ex-boyfriend were arrested on suspicion of trying to extort $310,000 from Brockovich and Masry during a videotaped law office sting. The charges against them were later dropped, but their attorney was disbarred and convicted of conspiracy and extortion.

Why did Masry drive to Hinkley?

Masry was considering retirement when Brockovich found suspicious medical records of residents of Hinkley among the real estate files in his office . She drove to the high desert to question the residents and persuaded Masry to take on their case.

Why did Masry appear on Power of Attorney?

After the film came out, Masry was bombarded with interview requests from national media outlets and was invited to appear, along with 22 other high-profile lawyers, on the reality television show “Power of Attorney.” Interviewed about the program on NBC’s “Today Show,” Masry said he participated because “I think it’s important that the people in the United States understand the role we lawyers play in society.”

Why did some defend Masry's brutal frankness?

Others defended Masry’s brutal frankness as his way of getting things done.

Who is Masry and Vititoe?

The long and tangled litigation ended with no convictions. In 1982, Masry joined lawyer James Vititoe to set up the Masry and Vititoe firm. By the early 1990s, Masry had begun concentrating on cases involving injuries caused by toxic material. He hired Brockovich in 1992.

Who is the second wife of Masry?

Masry is survived by his second wife, Joette, whom he married in 1992; three children from his earlier marriage, Louanna Masry-Weeks, Louis Masry and Nicole Masry-McAdam; two stepchildren, Christopher Levinson and Timothy Engelhart; and 10 grandchildren.

Who was the lawyer who played Girl Friday?

The estate of Edward L. Masry, the lawyer Erin Brockovitch clerked for and played Girl Friday to (resulting in the largest single class settlement in American history, against Pacific Gas & Electric), sued Masry's former place of employment into Chapter 11.

How much money did Masry and Vititoe spend on themselves?

Masry & Vititoe—sans Masry, who died in 2005—claim to have spent over $3M defending themselves against charges from Masry's estate, stemming from a decision that awarded control of a trust to Masry's kids, away from his wife. The trust held interests in the firm. Also, Masry kinda promised some people some money that they never got, and now that he's dead, they're coming out of the woodwork.

Who plays Masry in Pacific Gas and Electric?

She sniffs around with Masry (played by Albert Finney) some more, finds out PG&E are poisoning people.

Who was Erin Brockovich's lawyer?

Girardi worked on the “ Erin Brockovich ” case with Masry and represented residents of Hinkley, California, who sued Pacific Gas & Electric Co. over contaminated drinking water. Masry hired Erin Brockovich as a legal clerk. The firm reached a $333 million settlement in 1996.

Who ordered Girardi and his law firm into bankruptcy?

The filings come as Girardi and his law firm were due to provide a list of creditors this week to federal bankruptcy Judge Barry Russell, who ordered both of them into Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings. Girardi’s creditors filed involuntary bankruptcy petitions when a federal judge issued a $2 million contempt judgment against both Girardi and his firm for failing to pay four clients in settlements over Boeing’s 2018 crash of the Lion Air 610 aircraft in Indonesia.

Who ordered Tom Girardi's estate to provide documents?

The estate asked Bankruptcy Judge Maureen Tighe , Chief Judge of the Central District of California, for an order that Girardi’s law firm produce documents connected with the payment and distribution of those funds. Judge Tighe granted that request and ordered Girardi Keese to provide the documents. It’s not known if Tom Girardi’s firm complied with the order. Leonard Pena, a Pasadena, California lawyer who’s representing Tom’s brother, Robert Girardi, has asked a bankruptcy judge to appoint him “next friend” guardian ad litem for his brother.

Who is Tom Girardi's brother?

It’s not known if Tom Girardi’s firm complied with the order. Leonard Pena, a Pasadena, California lawyer who’s representing Tom’s brother, Robert Girardi, has asked a bankruptcy judge to appoint him “next friend” guardian ad litem for his brother.

Who is Richard Labowe?

Richard Labowe, a lawyer for California Attorney Lending , told The National Law Journal that his client at one point had a “claim in excess of $10 million” in the Masry firm bankruptcy. “Unsecured creditors did get some payments along the way in the early days,” said Labowe. “And then, arguably, things dried up.”.

Did Ed Masry file for bankruptcy?

In a July 2020 court filing in the bankruptcy case of Masry’s law firm , Masry’s estate claimed that Girardi has yet to turn over settlement funds from nine of those cases, according to law.com’s recent article entitled “The Estate of Ed Masry, of Erin Brockovich Fame, Says Tom Girardi Owes Them Money.”

What is the name of the gas station that compressed gas to get it through the pipes?

PG&E operated a large pipeline network to deliver natural gas to its customers throughout California, and Hinkley was the site of one of the stations that compressed the gas to get it through the pipes. Compressing it heats it, so that hot gas would first be routed into a cooling tower before going into the pipes.

What was the Chromium 6 level in San Bernardino County?

Of 50 samples taken, 11 were found to exceed that standard, and the pattern indicated that the chromium 6 constituted a plume in the groundwater that extended about a mile north of the compressor station. When Cleanup Abatement Order 6-87-160 was issued ordering PG&E to fix the problem, a few residents began looking for lawyers.

Why did the PG&E settlement end?

This benefitted PG&E because arbitration is a private process , and is not open to the public. It does not involve court filed documents that you and I can look up.

Where is chromium found?

Chromium is found naturally in the environment, in both the trivalent form chromium 3 and the hexavalent form chromium 6. An average person gets about 60 micrograms of chromium a day just by eating food on Earth; once in the digestive system, nearly all the chromium 6 is reduced to chromium 3 quite efficiently.

Is Skeptoid 4743 true?

https://skeptoid.com/audio/skeptoid-4743.mp3. In the year 2000, the movie Erin Brockovich told the world the true story of a heroic whistleblower, in the person of a humble paralegal, who successfully challenged an evil mega-corporation that had thoughtlessly poisoned the residents of a small California town for many years.

Is the official accounting of who received how much money secret?

Even the official accounting of who received how much money is secret. The only thing that is known is what both parties were publicly claiming before the case went under the cloak of arbitration. Hinkley residents blamed just about every medical malady it's possible to have on the chromium 6.

Is science done in the lab?

Science is done in the laboratory by trained scientists. It's not done in the cubicles of paralegals; it's not done in courtrooms, and science is most certainly not done behind the closed doors of private arbitrations that are really just bargains for millions of dollars and Mediterranean cruises. Judge for yourself Erin Brockovich as a Hollywood movie; but please don't regard it as a science finding.

Overview

Accuracy

On her website, Brockovich says the film is "probably 98% accurate". While the general facts of the story are accurate, there are some minor discrepancies between actual events and the movie, as well as a number of controversial and disputed issues more fundamental to the case. In the film, Erin Brockovich appears to deliberately use her cleavage to seduce the water board attendant to allow her to access the documents. Brockovich has acknowledged that her cleavage may have h…

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