Erin Brockovich-Ellis

The youngest child of Frank and Betty Jo Pattee (he was an industrial engineer, she was a journalist), Erin Brockovich grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. After graduating from Lawrence High School in 1978, Erin spent one year at Kansas State University, then transferred to a business college in Dallas, Texas, where she earned her Associate in Applied Arts degree. She recently received an honorary degree of Master of Arts, Business Communication from Jones International University.

In 1981, Erin took a job as a management trainee for K-Mart in Orange, California. She left after a few months to take a job at Fluor Engineers and Constructors to work and study to become an electrical design engineer. While working at this job, she tried her luck in the beauty pageant world. Although she met with almost immediate success, winning the title of Miss Pacific Coast, she dropped off the circuit the following year and married restaurant manager Shawn Brown.

Shawn and Erin moved back to Kansas where over the course of four years Erin gave birth to her two older children, Matthew and Katie Brown. Eventually the family settled in Reno, Nevada. In 1987, she and Shawn divorced. Now a single mom with two children to support, Erin became a secretary at E.F. Hutton, a Reno brokerage. There she met stockbroker Steven Brockovich whom she married in 1989.

Though it produced her youngest child, daughter Elizabeth, Erin's marriage to Steven Brockovich ended. They were divorced in 1990, and again Erin was forced to fend for herself, this time with three children to feed and clothe.

After being seriously injured in a traffic accident in Reno, Erin Brockovich moved back to Southern California with her children. In 1991, she hired Jim Vititoe of Masry & Vititoe to handle her car accident case. It was not long after her case was resolved that she was hired to work at the law firm as a file clerk. While organizing papers in a pro bono real estate case, she found medical records in the file that piqued her curiosity. After getting permission from one of the firm's principals, Ed Masry, she began to research the matter.

Erin's solo investigation eventually established that the health of countless people who lived in and around Hinkley, California in the 1960's, 70's and 80's had been devastated by exposure to toxic Chromium 6. The Chromium 6 had leaked into the groundwater from the nearby Pacific Gas and Electric Company's Compressor Station. In 1996, as a result of the largest direct action lawsuit of its kind, spearheaded by Erin Brockovich and Ed Masry, the giant utility paid the largest toxic tort injury settlement in U.S. history: $333 million in damages to more than 600 Hinkley residents.

The story of Erin's investigation, legal triumph and personal challenges were dramatized in the hit movie "Erin Brockovich". Released in March 2000 by Universal Studios, it starred JULIA ROBERTS as Erin and ALBERT FINNEY as Edward Masry. The movie received 5 academy award nominations. Julia received a Best Actress Award for her portrayal of Erin Brockovich.

No longer a file clerk, Erin Brockovich now serves as Director of Research at Masry and Vititoe, where she is currently involved in other major environmental lawsuits. Remarried in 1999 to actor Eric Ellis, she lives with her husband and children in Agoura Hills, California.

Erin has been with Masry & Vititoe for ten years and has spearheaded other cases:

1. Another Chromium 6 case against PG&E for groundwater contamination in Kettleman, California;
2. A TCE groundwater contamination against Lockheed Martin in Redlands, California;
3. A DBCP and EDB groundwater contamination against Dole and Delmonte Foods in Oahu, Hawaii;
4. Groundwater contamination against Aerojet in Sacramento, California;
5. Chromium 6 case against Betz/Dearborn (settled) and numerous other cases in California, New Hampshire, New York, West Virginia, and other states. Masry & Vititoe is also pursuing multiple MTBE litigations against oil companies.

Erin Brockovich has received a number of awards and honors for her work with the environment:

• Subject of the hit movie "Erin Brockovich" starring Julia Roberts
• Consumer Advocate of the Year" - Consumer Attorneys of California
• County of Los Angeles - Courageous and Unflagging efforts for work in Hinkley
• "Profile in Courage" Award from Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association
• "Scales of Justice" Award from Court TV
• Justice Armand Arabian Law and Media Award - San Fernando Valley Bar
• "Presidential Award of Merit" Consumer Attorneys of California
• California Legislature - Assembly Resolution No. 1621 for her personal commitment to insuring the environment is free of toxic pollution
• "Special Citizen Award" for noble efforts in protecting children. The Children's Health Environmental Coalition
• "Walk the Talk" Award from Heal the Bay
• "Champion of Justice" Award from the Civil Justice Foundation of ATLA
• City of Barstow - Proclamation of "Erin Brockovich Day"
• President's Award - Oregon Trial Lawyers Association
• Mothers & Shakers Award - Redbook Magazine
• "Consumer Advocate of the Year" - Themis Capital Corporation
• Glendale Kiwanis Club - Dedication To Helping Others Fight Injustice
• "Best Use of Public Records" - First Amendment Beacon
• The Debbie Cole Award - Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition
• "Lifesaver Award" - Lymphoma Research Foundation of America
• The Rochelle Hoffman Woman of Significance Award - Temple Adat Ari El
• "Champions of Children" Award - Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
• "Women of Action Award - Woman of the Year" - Israel Cancer Research Fund
• National Jewish Fund - Environmental Excellence

Ms. Brockovich hosted the ABC special "Challenge America" in December 2001and also hosted her own Lifetime television show "Final Justice", on the Lifetime Television Network. The show dealt with women who have taken life experiences, challenged the legal system and made it better for those that follow.

Visit the Official Erin Brockovich Site: www.brockovich.com