She fought the law… and won
In the early 1990s, a sassy, single mum of three became a legal assistant and was still struggling to make ends meet when she helped to bring about a legal fight against a major company, Pacific Gas and Electric. In 1996, the groundwater contamination case was settled and saw the largest ever settlement in the US, with $531 million awarded to victims. That legal assistant, with her colourful wardrobe – and vocabulary – took home a $4-million bonus, which changed her life.
Four years later, the story became a box-office hit and earned its leading lady, Julia Roberts, an Academy Award.
It’s now 20 years since the release of the film, which came about in a fortuitous twist. On a visit to
