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For the record-breaking Bush case, Bradley and Drendel ran up pretrial costs of $25,000 and spent endless time getting ready for the courtroom. "It was the best-prepared case I've ever seen," recalls Boccardo, who as usual stepped in just before the trial. Attorneys for the defendant companies were impressed, too, but they still think the record damages are way out of line and have appealed. Boccardo, Bradley and Drendel have more at stake than the highest-ever status of the award. If the judgment stands, their usual contingency fee of 33⅓% will net them more than $1,000,000.