Local investigator honored as best in state | pnj.com | Pensacola News Journal Other editions: Mobile | News Feeds | ENewsletters Find it: Jobs | Cars | Real Estate | Apartments | Shopping | Classifieds ● Search All Sponsored by: All Local News ● Calendar ● ● ● Jobs More » HomeNewsSportsOpinionThings to doCommunitiesPhoto/VideoForumsObituariesClassifiedsWeatherCustomer Service LocalNationalBusinessLifeEducationEnvironmentCrimeMilitaryNeighborsLocal ColumnistsData CenterGetPublished Comment, blog & share photos Log in | Become a member Carol Moore is a certified legal investigator for Pensacola's Levin Papantonio law firm. (Bruce Graner/[email protected]) Local investigator honored as best in state Pensacola's Moore first woman to receive honor Kris Wernowsky • [email protected] • June 2, 2008 Post a Comment Recommend (1) Print this page E-mail this article Share this article: Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine What’s this? Carol Moore knows that she works in a man's world. She likes to say that for every 100 male legal investigators, only three women do what she does. "It's really male-dominated," she said. Moore, 59, has been threatened with physical harm, chased, stalked and intimidated by the handmaidens of the corporations she investigates http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080602/NEWS01/806020314 (1 of 4)6/2/2008 11:23:15 AM Carol Moore -- Hometown: Born in Liberal, Kan. -- Education: Legal assistant degree from Pensacola Junior College and has continued her education at Troy University in the Local investigator honored as best in state | pnj.com | Pensacola News Journal for suspected environmental wrongdoing. criminal justice program. The 5-foot-4-inch Moore doesn't let a little intimidation stop her. The key, she said, is that when someone pushes, you must always push back. -- Family: Moore is married, has one son and two grandchildren. -- Previous experience: Former director National Association of Legal Investigators; served as president of Northwest Florida Staff Legal Investigators; charter member of the Pensacola Legal Secretaries; executive director of Emerald Coastkeepers Inc.; Catholic Charities Board of Northwest Florida. "You really have to stand your ground and let people know that you aren't going to be intimidated," she said. Moore works for the Levin Papantonio law firm in Pensacola and is regarded by her colleagues as one of the nation's top environmental legal investigators. Last week, the Florida Board of Certified Investigators recognized Moore's 26 years of work by awarding her its investigator of the year honor. She is the first woman to receive the award. "She's an inspiration," said Michelle Morton, chairwoman of the FBCI. "She's the type of investigator that all investigators should strive to be." Among her more recent accomplishments, Moore's work helped Levin Papantonio secure a $380 million judgment against the DuPont corporation. The firm represented residents of Spelter, W.Va., who claimed DuPont lied about health hazards from arsenic, cadmium and lead that contaminated the air, soil and water. "She's one of the most sought-after investigators for environmental cases across the country. She's regarded as the new Erin Brockovich," said attorney Mike Papantonio, who works closely with Moore. "It's impossible to handle a case the size of Spelter without an investigator who not only is willing to work tirelessly but has the years of experience to do it," he said. The case, Moore said, involved thousands of hours of research, travel, and door-to-door interviews. She had to move to West Virginia for three months during the trial. When DuPont turned over 5,000 pages of internal documents to the plaintiff's attorneys, Moore spent her days, nights and weekends poring through each page. On a Sunday afternoon, in her bedroom, with music playing the background, she came across what would be one of the key pieces of evidence in the case. The document called "Connecting the Dots" showed that DuPont took measures to manage "the dissemination of information and, ultimately, to thwart toxic tort claims," according to court papers. Moore holds a business degree and began her career selling typesetting equipment throughout the southeastern United States. Her interest in environmental law began in the 1970s when she led the successful charge to move a waste treatment facility off Weekly Bayou in southwest Escambia County. http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080602/NEWS01/806020314 (2 of 4)6/2/2008 11:23:15 AM More News headlines ● Raleigh paper: Bonfield leaving (1) ● Felony arrests ● Woman hospitalized after being pinned by vehicles (4) ● Death notices ● Local investigator honored as best in state Local investigator honored as best in state | pnj.com | Pensacola News Journal After deciding that she wanted a job that would keep her closer to home, a friend who worked at the Levin law firm suggested that she try her hand at investigations. "If you work in sales, you can be an investigator," Moore said. "It really teaches you how to approach people and make them feel comfortable." Since she began working at the firm, Moore has gone on to obtain a legal assistant degree from Pensacola Junior College and continued her education at Troy University in the criminal justice program. Moore also heads Emerald Coastkeeper Inc., a Northwest Florida environmental group founded by Papantonio. "That's what I really love to do," she said. "I do this job because I love to do that. I've always said that the worst day in the field always beats the best day in the office." In your voice Read reactions to this story Newest first You must be logged in to leave a comment. 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