Edward L. Masry
Encyclopedia
Edward Louis Masry was a partner in the law
firm of Masry & Vititoe and a city councilman.
.
Masry attended the University of California, Santa Barbara
, University of California Los Angeles and University of Southern California
. Although he never received a bachelor's degree
, Loyola Law School
accepted him on an exemption due to high placement scores. He graduated with a Juris Doctor
degree in 1960. Thereafter, he was admitted to the State Bar of California
.
His firm was instrumental in bringing about the multi-plaintiff direct action suit against Pacific Gas & Electric Company, alleging contamination of drinking water with hexavalent chromium
in the southern California town of Hinkley
. The case was settled in 1996 for $333 million, the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit
in American history. The case was adapted into the highly successful film, Erin Brockovich
, with Albert Finney
portraying Masry.
Masry died on December 5, 2005 in Thousand Oaks, California
at age 73. His death was due to complications relating to diabetes. He died one week after resigning from the Thousand Oaks city council because of his condition.
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
firm of Masry & Vititoe and a city councilman.
Biography
He was born on July 29, 1932 in Paterson, New JerseyPaterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
.
Masry attended the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
, University of California Los Angeles and University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. Although he never received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
, Loyola Law School
Loyola Law School
Loyola Law School is the law school of Loyola Marymount University, a private Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions, in Los Angeles, California. Loyola was established in 1920. Like Loyola University Chicago School of Law and Loyola University New Orleans College of Law , it...
accepted him on an exemption due to high placement scores. He graduated with a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree in 1960. Thereafter, he was admitted to the State Bar of California
State Bar of California
The State Bar of California is California's official bar association. It is responsible for managing the admission of lawyers to the practice of law, investigating complaints of professional misconduct, and prescribing appropriate discipline...
.
His firm was instrumental in bringing about the multi-plaintiff direct action suit against Pacific Gas & Electric Company, alleging contamination of drinking water with hexavalent chromium
Hexavalent chromium
Hexavalent chromium refers to chemical compounds that contain the element chromium in the +6 oxidation state. Virtually all chromium ore is processed via hexavalent chromium, specifically the salt sodium dichromate. Approximately of hexavalent chromium were produced in 1985...
in the southern California town of Hinkley
Hinkley, California
Hinkley is an unincorporated community in the Mojave Desert in California, U.S., northwest of Barstow, east of Mojave, and north of Victorville. It sits just north of California State Highway 58....
. The case was settled in 1996 for $333 million, the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit
Direct-action lawsuit
A direct-action lawsuit is brought directly against an insurance company for a wrong done by the insured.In a lawsuit that is not direct-action, a plaintiff brings the claim against the insured, who actually wronged the plaintiff...
in American history. The case was adapted into the highly successful film, Erin Brockovich
Erin Brockovich (film)
Erin Brockovich is a 2000 biographical film directed by Steven Soderbergh. The film is a dramatization of the story of Erin Brockovich, played by Julia Roberts, who fought against the US West Coast energy corporation Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Roberts won the Academy Award, Golden Globe,...
, with Albert Finney
Albert Finney
Albert Finney is an English actor. He achieved prominence in films in the early 1960s, and has maintained a successful career in theatre, film and television....
portraying Masry.
Masry died on December 5, 2005 in Thousand Oaks, California
Thousand Oaks, California
Thousand Oaks is a city in southeastern Ventura County, California, in the United States. It was named after the many oak trees that grace the area, and the city seal is adorned with an oak....
at age 73. His death was due to complications relating to diabetes. He died one week after resigning from the Thousand Oaks city council because of his condition.