SIDEBAR Fall 2021 - 13

MONTGOMERY B AR .O R G
MOVIE REVIEW
The Housewife & the Hustler
Steaming on Hulu
By Lydia S. Terrill, Esq.
T
he Housewife & the Hustler is an ABC News
documentary that investigates the legal troubles facing
Tom Girardi, a former Los Angeles-area plaintiff's
attorney. Girardi (the " Hustler " ) is famous for handling the
1993 toxic tort case against Pacific Gas & Electric (the case on
which the movie Erin Brockovich is based) and winning huge
settlements for his clients. Girardi was disbarred in 2021 after
being accused of stealing millions of dollars in client funds.
The " Housewife " is The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills case
member Erika Jayne, to whom Tom Girardi has been married
for 20 years. Erika Jayne is famous on the show for, among
other things, flaunting her extreme wealth while the cameras are
following her around, including an alleged $40,000 per month
" glam squad " (Erika also has a singing career financed by her
husband - her debut song was titled " It's XXpen$ive To Be
Me " ). As the documentary goes on, it becomes clear that Erika's
lifestyle is, in large part, under suspicion of being financed by
money that Tom Girardi allegedly stole from his clients.
The documentary mainly focuses on Girardi's legal troubles.
It features extensive interviews with some of his former clients
from whom he allegedly stole millions. These victims include the
son of a woman who died in the 2018 Indonesian Lion Air crash
and a man who suffered burns all over his body following a gas
line explosion. It is heartbreaking to watch these interviews and
realize that these victims may be unlikely to actually recover any
of their settlement money, given that Girardi is now bankrupt.
It is also a great reminder of the degree of trust that many clients
place in their attorneys, and how devastating it can be when that
trust is broken.
I enjoyed this documentary very much from my perspective
as an attorney. In addition to the obvious ethical issues
surrounding the alleged misappropriation of client funds, it
raises other legal issues such as bankruptcy (Girardi has filed
for bankruptcy), family law (Erika Jayne has filed for divorce),
and guardianship (Girardi is now under a conservatorship). The
interplay of all of these issues reminds me of a law school hypo
that I'm glad I don't have to solve.
Non-attorneys and fans of pop culture will enjoy this
documentary as well, as it contains plenty of gossip, drama, and
fancy accessories to boot.
FALL 2021 13
http://montgomerybar.org
SIDEBAR Fall 2021

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