Exposure (Bilott book) - A Lawyer's Fight for Justice

In "Exposure", Robert Bilott recounts his journey as a lawyer fighting for justice on behalf of a small town in West Virginia.

The book tells the story of Bilott's discovery of DuPont's secret pollution of the town's water supply, which led to a range of devastating health problems for the residents.

Bilott's work on the case spanned over two decades, during which he uncovered a massive cover-up by DuPont and fought tirelessly to hold the company accountable.

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Robert Bilott is the author of Exposure, a memoir that chronicles his life as a lawyer.

Bilott grew up on a farm in Ohio, where he developed a strong work ethic and a passion for the outdoors.

He graduated from Cornell University and later earned his law degree from Ohio State University.

Bilott's interest in environmental law was sparked by a case involving a farm near his childhood home.

After law school, he worked at a large law firm in Cincinnati before joining Taft Stettinius & Hollister.

Bilott's life took a dramatic turn when he took on a case against DuPont, the chemical company responsible for the contamination of a West Virginia community's water supply.

He spent years researching and preparing for the case, which eventually led to a massive settlement and the creation of a trust fund to compensate the affected community.

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The book "Exposure" by Rob Bilott has received praise from environmental and literary leaders, including Ken Cook and Nathaniel Rich, who call Bilott a "hero of our time". The book is now available in paperback, offering an intimate account of one of the most appalling environmental crimes in modern history.

The story is based on Bilott's personal and professional journey through the litigation that uncovered the global PFOA and PFAS "forever chemicals" contamination crisis. This crisis has affected virtually every person on the planet, with PFOA being a chemical that does not break down or degrade for millions of years.

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Bilott's book tells the story of his 20-year battle against DuPont, a case that was sparked by a phone call from a West Virginia farmer named Earl Tennant. Bilott was initially hesitant to take on the case, but after seeing the thick, foamy water and gruesome effects on livestock, he was persuaded to fight against the corporation.

The book has been compared to Jonathan Harr's "A Civil Action", a classic tale of malice and manipulation. It's a riveting legal drama that exposes the failings of environmental regulation and the conspiracy that kept the PFOA contamination a secret for 60 years.

Here are some key facts about the book and its author:

Bilott's work on the case has earned him recognition as "The Lawyer Who Became DuPont's Worst Nightmare" by The New York Times Magazine. He serves as co-lead counsel for the Plaintiff's Steering Committee (PSC) in Multi-District Litigation (MDL) against DuPont involving PFOA personal injury claims.