Saint Louis University’s Great Issues Committee will present speaker Erin Brockovich on Tuesday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. The presentation will take place in the BSC ballroom and refreshments will follow.

Brockovich has gained most of her popularity from the 2000 hit movie Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts, which details her persistent legal research and personal achievements. Brockovich began working for the law firm Masry & Vititoe as a file clerk after she was severely injured in a car accident in 1991. While she was working on a pro bono case, she stumbled upon some intriguing medical records and received permission to research the matter further.

After months of research and exploration, Brockovich discovered that the toxic chemical Chromium 6 from the Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Compressor Station had infiltrated the water supply for Hinkley, Calif. This greatly jeopardized the health of the residents of the surrounding areas in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, prompting Brockovich and Ed Masry to pursue the largest toxic tort injury settlement in U.S. history, in which more than $333 million was awarded to more than 600 affected residents.

Before her success with this lawsuit, Brockovich was a single, unemployed mother of three. Currently, she is the director of research at Masry and Vititoe and works on environmental lawsuits. She has also published a book titled Take it From Me; Life’s a Struggle but You Can Win.