"Erin is a very warm person and it is that aspect of her character that enabled her to get these families to trust her with intimate stories about their lives," she says. "And through the support of Ed Masry, she was allowed to follow her instinct with this case."

At the time Erin and Ed met, the lawyer was winding down his career and was looking forward to retirement. "And then this girl walked in and everything changed," says Santos Shamberg.

In 1993, Erin and Ed put together over 600 plaintiffs, and partnering with a powerhouse law firm, went after PG&E, a $30 billion company. As a result of their efforts, PG&E settled with the plaintiffs for $333 million, the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit in U.S. history.

"Ed and Erin's differences made them a perfect team," Ms. Shamberg continues. "Ed had the legal expertise and experience."

The fact that Erin Brockovich wasn't a lawyer and didn't have any formal education or experience as a law clerk or a paralegal, made her victory that much more impressive.