WHATWE CAN LEARN FROM ERIN BROCKOVICH
HOWONE WOMAN CHANGED THE LIVES OF 634 PEOPLE
In 2000, Julia Roberts won her first Academy Award for her impassioned and somewhat impetuous portrayal of Erin Brockovich, a real-life Kansas legal clerk. Roberts marches through the film like a force of nature. Granted, the movie gives her all of the best lines — not to mention its focus on her eye-catching wardrobe. But the actress tackles the film’s eponymous role with a blazing kind of possessiveness and injects the character with all the energy and drive she can muster. The movie tells the incredible true story of Erin Brockovich, a foul-mouthed ex-beauty queen who, as a low-wage employee at a small law firm, managed to put together a lawsuit of such
a pro bono real estate account, Brockovich stumbled across medical records that confused her: Hundreds of residents throughout California’s Mojave Desert had suffered side effects from the extreme poisoning of their water supply. Their medical records were paid for and covered up by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). Brockovich began digging deeper into the case and found evidence that the groundwater in the area was seriously contaminated with carcinogenic hexavalent chromium, but PG&E had been telling residents that they used a safer form of chromium and that their medical conditions, including recurrent tumors and Hodgkin’s Disease, occurred merely by coincidence. These families — 634 plaintiffs in total — were poisoned by PG&E for years, but Brockovich’s efforts ensured that they would receive $333 million
in compensation for their medical bills and the emotional and physical turmoil that plagued them each and every day. While she had an associates degree in applied arts, Brockovich had no prior legal experience. She relied on her quick thinking, her empathy for others, and her desire to obtain social fairness to help her clients get the help they desperately needed. She remained resolute in her determination when other attorneys questioned her abilities, she fought for clients even if they were initially unsure of the process, and she still proved her worth at work as a clerk and at home as a single mother of three. Here at Surf City Lawyers, we continuously strive to have the same tenacity and grit as Brockovich as we work to help our own clients get the assistance they need and deserve. Call us today with questions!
magnitude that it is still talked about today. While setting up a file for
S U D O K U
PEANUT BUTTER AND BERRY FRENCH TOAST Inspired by Delish
INGREDIENTS
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8 slices brioche, 1/2-inch thick 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
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2 cups cornflakes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs
2 cups mixed berries
1/8 cup heavy cream
Powdered sugar, to sprinkle Maple syrup, for serving
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
1. On a large baking sheet lined with wax paper, place 4 slices of brioche and spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter on each. Cover with remaining slices, creating sandwiches. 2. In a pie plate, beat eggs with cream and vanilla. In another, coarsely crush the cornflakes. 3. Lightly soak sandwiches in the egg mixture, then dredge in cornflakes, pressing to adhere. Return to baking sheet. 4. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Once melted and up to temperature, add sandwiches, cooking on one side until golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes. 5. Return sandwiches to baking sheet, add remaining butter, and repeat on other side. 6. Top sandwiches with berries, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve with maple syrup.
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