Thursday, Apr 12, 2012
The lecture begins at 7 p.m. in the BLC Cavalla Room on Thursday, April 19.
Erin Brockovich will speak as part of Rider's Earth Month Film and Speaker Series on Thursday, April 19, on the Lawrenceville campus. The lecture begins at 7 p.m. in the BLC Cavalla Room.
Brockovich worked at Masry & Vititoe law firm as a file clerk. It was while organizing papers on a pro bono real estate case that Brockovich first found medical records that would explode into the largest direct action lawsuit in U.S. history. Her exhaustive investigation uncovered that Pacific Gas & Electric had been poisoning the small town of Hinkley's water for more than 30 years. She exposed PG & E for leaking toxic Chromium 6 into the ground water. This poison affected the health of the population of Hinkley. In 1996, the utility giant was forced to pay out the largest toxic tort injury settlement in U.S. history.
The story and eventual film, starring Julia Roberts, helped make "Erin Brockovich" a household name. Over time, Brockovich realized that she could use her notoriety to spread positive messages of personal empowerment and to encourage others to stand up and make a difference. As President of Brockovich Research & Consulting, she is currently involved in numerous environmental projects worldwide.