A US-based lawyer whose work revealed massive chemical contamination of unprecedented scale and scope will headline a major conference for NSW lawyers next month.

President of the Law Society of NSW Brett McGrath said Robert ‘Rob’ Bilott’s fight for communities affected by the PFAS family of chemicals, illustrates the important role lawyers play in bringing just outcomes for clients.

“The majority of people who choose law as a career do so with a motivation to make a difference and help effect lasting positive change in their communities. Mr McGrath said.

“Rob Bilott has lived those values through his decades’ long legal battle on behalf of tens of thousands of people who have been adversely affected by exposure to PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances). He helped secure multiple billions of dollars of benefits for those damaged by PFAS-contaminated drinking water.”

PFAS compounds have been used in a wide variety of consumer products, such as Teflon, Scotchgard and in certain types of firefighting foam. They are described as ‘forever chemicals’ because they don’t break down in nature. They have been detected across the whole planet and found in the blood of 97 percent of the United States population. PFAS’ adverse effects have been shown to include deadly rare cancers and immune system impacts.

Mr Bilott’s book, Exposure was the basis for the 2o19 movie Dark Waters, starring Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway. Earlier this year he appeared in the Stan documentary Revealed: How to poison a planet, which further examines the worldwide impact of PFAS chemicals, highlighting the effects on the once pristine community of Wreck Bay of firefighting foam runoff from the nearby Jervis Bay naval airstrip.

“The Law Society is fortunate to be hosting Mr Bilott for our Annual Conference on 10-11 October. Along with hearing his story first-hand, Mr Bilott will discuss PFAS related issues confronting Australia and the role lawyers here can and do play seeking justice for those affected and by advocating for better regulation of these substances.”

Mr Bilott said the PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ story is a great example of how lawyers and the litigation process can help spur momentous change in, not only our legal systems, but in the scientific community, regulatory and legislative fronts, and within the broader general public.

“I am honoured to participate in this important conference where we can explore how we used the legal system in the United States as a catalyst for raising awareness and understanding of how these man-made toxins threaten human health and the environment. I’m looking forward to discussing how this experience can best be used to help the victims of this unprecedented environmental and human health disaster in Australia and worldwide.”

Class-actions relating to PFAS contamination including around military bases at Williamtown NSW, Oakey in Qld settled in 2020. In recent weeks, concerns have been raised around elevated PFAS levels detected in a dam supplying drinking water to the Blue Mountains. Law Society members can register for the 2024 Annual Conference here.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Damien Smith | Director, Media and Public Relations
The Law Society of New South Wales
M: +61 417 788 947 | E: Damien.Smith@lawsociety.com.au