It was 2009 when Donald "Gator" Bradshaw, a foreclosure defense attorney, attended the Marion County Bar Association's annual Law Day luncheon to see ...

Donald "Gator" Bradshaw received the 2011 Richard D. Custureri Pro Bono Award on Friday during the Marion County Bar Association Law Day Luncheon.

Two years later, it's Bradshaw's turn to be honored with the Richard D. Custureri Pro Bono Service Award for his involvement in a free foreclosure clinic offered by Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida — an idea hatched at that very luncheon two years ago.

The Auburn University graduate, who received his law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law, accepted his glass plaque Friday during the Bar's celebration of Law Day 2011, the theme of which was "The Legacy of John Adams: from Boston to Guantanamo."

Offering remarks Friday to a crowd of approximately 125 gathered at the Ocala Golf Club banquet hall was constitutional law scholar Fletcher N. Baldwin Jr., an emeritus professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

Combining a history lesson with an engrossing law lecture of sorts, the academic, who also serves as director of the Center for International Financial Crimes Studies at UF, discussed the significance of Adams' legal representation of the British officer and soldiers charged with killing five civilians in the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770.

"Not a single Boston attorney would represent the eight young soldiers ... he stepped forward," Baldwin told the audience, which included area judges and lawyers, some of whom once filled seats in Baldwin's lecture halls during their days as law students at UF.

The guest speaker stressed the need to continue Adams' legacy of defending the rights of the accused, no matter their actions, by today's guardians of law.

"As long as the civilian courts are open and operating, anyone must be required to go before the people in the civilian courts," he said, later emphasizing that the core objectives of the United States Constitution are to "limit government power" and "protect human rights."

"Decisions have to be made in the public interest," he said. "Adams said it, and everyone since Adams said it."

Circuit Judge Sandra Edwards-Stephens, who attended the luncheon, said afterwards that she found Baldwin's roughly 30-minute talk "very informative."

"I'm so glad to see so many people come out to support [Law Day]," she said.

Though decidedly a thinner crowd than in recent years, the audience Friday included local officials like Ocala Mayor Randy Ewers, Marion County Commissioner Kathy Bryant and Citrus County-based Circuit Judge Patricia V. Thomas, who presented the pro bono award to Bradshaw, a longtime acquaintance.

The luncheon, which takes place annually to honor Law Day, a national event occurring on May 1 that is designated to promote civics education around the country, was emceed by Marion County Bar Association President Jeremy Powers and chaired by attorney Abraham C. Banks — both ex-students of Baldwin's.

In accepting his pro bono award Friday, Bradshaw, 44, joked to the crowd about the wise instructions he received in the early years of his practice.

" ‘Just so you're clear,' " he said a fellow attorney told him, " ‘pro bono is not when a client doesn't pay you.' "

Calling these clients "the best ... and most appreciative" he's had, Bradshaw, who runs the free foreclosure clinic the first Thursday of each month, encouraged others to join in on the effort.

In 2010, area lawyers volunteered close to 1,000 hours of free legal aid through Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, said Lena Smith, pro bono coordinator for the organization.

"At $250 per hour, I'm going to let you do the math," she told the room, on the value of that.

Contact Suevon Lee at 867-4065 or suevon.lee@starbanner.com .

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