First published 1998
Jan Schlichtmann runs a small personal injury law firm when he encounters the Woburn case. Two major corporations have contaminated the town's water supply with industrial chemicals. Eight children have died from leukemia. Their families want justice. Schlichtmann sees a chance for a major settlement that could transform his practice. He mortgages everything to fund the litigation. The corporations hire elite defense teams with unlimited resources. As the case drags on for years, Schlichtmann burns through millions in legal costs. His firm faces bankruptcy. His partners abandon him. The families grow frustrated with endless delays and legal maneuvering. Schlichtmann becomes obsessed with winning, even as the financial and personal costs mount. The case exposes how corporate defendants can use their resources to outlast plaintiffs seeking accountability. This is a story about the collision between idealism and reality in America's legal system.
Genres: social-issues, non-fiction, true-crime, legal-thriller
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: idealism-vs-reality, obsession
Setting: Woburn
Period: 20th-century
502 pages · Paperback · Random House Inc (P)