How A Small Town Law Firm Became A Community Pillar

I think almost everyone in the area has heard of Bradshaw and Bryant. You may or may not know that this law firm, in its origination, began back in the early 70s. Then became a form of what it is today in the 90s with the addition of Mike Bryant who was hired in 1991, and later became a named partner.

John H Bradshaw III, who also happens to be my father, started this law firm in Eden Valley in 1972.  He moved his family, our family, from the Twin Cities to the small, close knit town of Eden Valley.  And growing up, most everyone we spoke with when asking where we were from assumed that we meant Eden Prairie.  No one, or at least a lot of people hadn't heard of the town of Eden Valley which at the time had a population of less than a thousand people.  Now, it has over a thousand people, but still a very small town.

The law firm, since then, has grown and expanded and has been very successful as personal injury attorneys.

The thing is, when you are involved in the day to day dealings, you really don't necessarily notice all of the people whose lives you have impacted throughout the time of helping them with whatever their need happens to be.  My dad was always a champion of the "underdog".  He wanted to make sure that everyone had a fair shake, regardless if they were able to pay.  So, early in his career, I remember us getting payment through things instead of a monetary payment.  More like a barter relationship.

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Obviously, the law firm grew into the Bradshaw and Bryant that people know of today, and Dad hardly realized how much people recognized the name.  With the addition of Mike Bryant, who took over the marketing and leadership, who continued as Dad was nearing retirement. There was a jingle added, several interviews and ads, and sometimes an appearance on TV as a consultant on several known cases that Bradshaw and Bryant was not a part of, but would give some insight on the case, the name became even more recognizable.

My dad, either because he was super humble, or just not tech savvy, or a combination of the two, still didn't pay much attention ot how recognizable the name of the law firm had become.

My father passed away on March 23rd after a long battle with Congestive Heart Failure, and Mike was kind enough to deliver the eulogy.  He did a brilliant job, and brought up the fact that my father really didn't know, or seem to care about success, except for the clients that he (they) was helping.  Those successes were very important.  But as they were going to put some ads together, Mike mentioned that Dad looked at him and said "what kind of a big deal are we?"  But that's just the kind of person he was.  Never needing to have himself be recognized, but was grateful when he was - simply because he wanted everyone to know that Bradshaw and Bryant was a law firm that would find "justice for the injured" which was a slogan that my mom suggested many, many years ago.

It's funny that sometimes it takes a funeral for people to come out and tell the rest of the family how much they appreciated or liked or admired the person who has passed.  And I just hope that maybe my father did realize how much he helped people along the way and that his legacy will continue in that fashion with the law firm that he started back in the early 70s.

Thank you!