sunday, july 9, 1995 pajcic secret:smarts, hearts · million award for a client, kenneth norwood,...

By: Martin WisckolStaff writer

Once upon a time, there were twobrothers who went from rags to riches. Theyran barefoot on the cinders at track events,one winning the state juniors title for the 50-yard dash. The other would go on to be thestarting quarterback at Florida StateUniversity and win a national back of theweek award.

They challenged two future basketballpros to a game of hoops and won. One wenton to the Legislature, then was nearly electedgovernor. This year, the two led thesuccessful campaign of a long-shot blackcandidate for Jacksonville sheriff.

The brothers Pajcic are two of the mostsuccessful lawyers in town, with gruelingschedules and clients from throughout thecountry. But they’ve found time to start sixtalent-filled basketball teams in a poor, blackneighborhood. The brothers complain of themoney it costs them to fulfill a promise ofshopping sprees for players who improvetheir grades.

The complaint is in jest, of course. Themoney’s a drop in the bucket compared tothe million-dollar college scholarship fundthey set up at the Westside high school wherethey graduated.

If Forrest Gump trooped through life witha brother, this could be their story, right downto the corned sweetness.

“In fifth or sixth grade, I asked Steve if hehad a best friend,” says brother Gary. “Hesaid no and asked if I had a best friend. I saidno. So, we decided to be best friends.”

Geez, Louise.But unlike Forrest Gump, the Pajcic

brothers are not the recipients of dumbluck. They work hard and always have.

And they are smart. Stevegraduated magna cumlaude from Princeton andcum laude from HarvardLaw School. Gary hasn’tlost a trial in 10 years.

Best of all, unlikeForrest Gump, Steve andGary Pajcic aren’t someHollywood hallucination.They are real, and theylive in Jacksonville, theirhometown playgroundfor politics, law andpursuit of a better world.

A landmarkcampaign

“Whether or not our community isprogressed enough to beable to elect a black, I don’t know.” Thosewords on Feb. 2, 1994,from Sheriff JimMcMillan launched thelandmark campaign thatmade Nat Glover Jacksonville’s first black sheriff.

Steve and Gary Pajcic, lifelongadvocates of racial equality, weredisturbed by the statement.

Black community leaders, meanwhile,found the white candidates lacking. One ofthese leaders, the Rev. John Newman, washelping Glover gauge his chances. Then, ata Times-Union round table discussion, StevePajcic said, “We’re going to elect the bestqualified person, regardless of race.”

After the session, Newman corneredPajcic and challenged him to back up hisstatement.

“I knew we needed a progressive andrespected [white] community leader to pullthis off,” Newman says of Glover’scampaign. “Steve Pajcic is one of thebrightest and most visionary people inJacksonville. Steve Pajcic understand thatAfrican-Americans have not always hadequal access to the American dream, andhe’s always worked to change that.”

The score in Tallahassee was 22-19Florida, with 26 seconds left. Gary threwa 45-yard pass and hit Lane Fenner in theend zone. But Fenner was called out ofbounds. Florida won. In his law office,Gary has a framed photo of Fenner’sreception. Fenner is clearly in bounds.

“It’s tough to be famous for anincomplete pass,” Gary laughs. His lasttwo years at FSU were plagued byinjuries, sabotaging his hopes to playprofessional ball.

At the same time, Steve was playingbasketball for Princeton. This is where hemet future pro basketball star and Sen.Bill Bradley, D-N.J., for whom Steve willhold a Jacksonville fund-raiser this fall.But unlike Gary, Steve spent more time onthe bench than playing and wasmore intensely focused on hisstudies than on sports.

In 1974, after three years witha Jacksonville law firm, Steve waselected to the state House ofRepresentatives. He retained hisseat until 1985, when he steppeddown to run for governor. Hisstint in the Legislature wasmarked by an exemplary grasp ofbudgetary issues and a trackrecord of liberal votes.

“On social issues, I was aliberal,” Steve says. “At the sametime, I was very concerned with thesize of government. I’m anegalitarian, a libertarian, a moralistand a freemarket economist.”While he led the charge on twoSave Our Rivers bills to clean upFlorida waterways, some of hisother positions were morecontroversial. He supporteddecriminalization of marijuana,opposed the death penalty andwas pro-abortion rights.

In the gubernatorial race, hiscontender for the Democratic nomination,Jim Smith, hammered away at Pajcicrelentlessly on these issues. When Pajcicwon the nomination, Republicancandidate Bob Martinez picked up Smith’sline of attack on Pajcic.

Smith, who changed parties after theelection and became Martinez chief ofstaff, is credited with playing a key role inPajcic’s defeat — both for his bitter

campaign and for not pulling hissupporters behind Pajcic.

“There were some underhanded thingsthat hurt my candidacy,” said Smith, whowent on to serve as Florida secretary ofstate and attorney general. “There werephone banks into black neighborhoodssaying I was racist and a letter to theSouth Florida Jewish community saying Iwas anti-Semitic.”

Pajcic responds, “I never saw theletters, and I never heard about the phonecalls. I don’t know that that ever occurred.”

Giving backThe Pajcics have plenty of fans who

would like to see Steve run again or Garytake his first shot at office.

Now that his children are nearlygrown, Gary says he might consider a bidfor state attorney, if longtime friend andsitting State Attorney Harry Shorsteinsteps down. Steve, on the other hand, hashad his fill of running for office.

“I’m more cynical now about howmuch difference I could make,” Stevesays. “Plus, part of why I ran was a senseof obligation, instilled in us by our

parents, to serve others. I’ve fulfilled thatobligation, and I can be more selfish now.”

But not too selfish to establish, withhis brother, a million-dollar scholarshipfund at Paxon High School — a fundintended to ensure that young scholars inneed find the same financial help thePajcics did 30 years ago.

And not too selfish to sponsor andcoach teen basketball teams. Each of the60 players on their teams is rewarded witha piece of clothing for each class in schoolin which they improve. Those whoimprove in all six classes get a new pair ofbasketball shoes.

This year, the Pajcics bought new shoesfor 10 players. “When you’re in politics,you influence a lot of people to a small

degree, “ says Steve. “When you’re out ofpolitics, you can influence a few people to amuch greater degree.”

Indeed, you won’t hear the Pajcicscomparing life to a box of chocolates.

“You talk about power,” says Steve,reflecting on one allure of politics. “Thething you have the most power over is whatyou do with your own life. That’s the mostimportant thing.”

Pajcic Secret:Smarts, heartsBrothers are partners in work, pursuit of better world

A B C D EH

Jacksonville, FL, Copyright 1995 Sunday, July 9, 1995 130th Year – Number 190 – 19 Sections – 204 Pages

Brothers Gary (left in photo above) and Steve Pajcic graduated from Paxon High.

– Will Dickey/staff

In 1986, gubernatorial candidate Steve Pajcic (right) celebrated his 40th birthday in Metropolitan Park with lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Frank Mann.

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time of need. No. 2, we think we’re doingsomething to improve fairness and safetyin the society.”

Ambulance chasers on a mission ofgoodwill for the world? Not entirely. Theircommissions start at 25 percent and go upfrom there. In 1992, they won an $8.5million award for a client, KennethNorwood, who was brain damaged afterfalling at the construction site where he was working.This year, theywon a $4.9million award in a Chicagoc o n s t r u c t i o na c c i d e n t .Currently, theyare suing theDuval CountySchool Board onbehalf of theparents of JeffMitchell, who wasfatally shot outsideTerry Parker HighSchool.

Yet, they areconvincing whenthey say the mostimportant part oftheir job is to beethical, the secondmost importantpart is to doquality work, andthird is to havefun.

“Fourth is tomake money,”Gary says. “Wethink if we do the first three, the fourth will come. And fortunately, it has.”

Indeed, if making money was at the topof their list, you might expect them to parlaytheir extensive political contacts into lucrativelobbying contracts. But their firm has neverdone political work.

The Pajcics credit their work ethic, moralstandards, and interest in politics to their

parents, who raised five kids in a blue-collarWestside home. Their father, a carpenterwith a fifth-grade education, worked two jobsand still found time to raise money for theirhigh school. The football field at Paxon isnamed in their father’s honor.

Their mother always has followed politicsclosely, and the two sons brag about howwell-read she is. Both parents emphasizededucation and, in sharp contrast to many of

their neighbors, racial equality.“Their parents made them what they

were,” says Welcome Shearer, their principalat Paxon. “Steve and Gary helped me runthe school. If there was ever any disciplineproblem, I would ask them to help stop it,and they would.” Back in the mainconference room of Pajcic & Pajcic, the seatbelt is still not popping open every time Bob

Link and Steve Pajcic are rehearsing theirmediation presentation for Gary. After theyfinish, Steve asks Link to try the seat beltonce more. It pops open. Steve winksplayfully at a visitor. They will use it.

Athlete scholarsIf you look hard enough, you’ll findsomebody to say bad things aboutvirtually anybody. The Pajcics are no

exception. But beforethat part of the story,it might be useful toexplain the differencesbetween the twobrothers.

At first glance,Steve, 48, and Gary,47, might be twins —especially if Steve hasskipped his contactlenses for his wire rimglasses. They are bothmarried to their firstwives. Steve has twokids, Gary has five.

Steve is shorter,more self-absorbed,less patient.

“They’re bothextremely bright, butSteve borders ongenius,” says Glover,echoing the sentimentof others who knowthem well.

“Gary possessesmore interpersonalskills, which allow himto look you in the eyeand tell you toughthings in a way that

you can walk away not feeling so bad. Steveis more matter of fact.”

While both were three-sport stars inhigh school, Gary was the better athlete. Inhis sophomore year at Florida State, he wasstarting quarterback. Despite his talent,Gary may be best known for an incompletepass against a Florida team quarterbackedby Steve Spurrier in 1966.

The Pajcics were on board, Gary ascampaign manager and Steve as an adviser,by the time Glover declared his candidacy.

As well as instant credibility, the Pajcicsbrought political savvy and contacts to thecampaign. They also recruited enough wealthybusiness people to ensure a healthy war chestand considerable television exposure.

While the Pajcics are reliable fund-raisersfor state and national Democratic candidates,they rarely get so involved with local races. In1972, they rallied behind Leander Shaw, thefirst black candidate for circuit judge inNorth Florida.

Shaw speaks of Steve’s integrity andpolitical insight. But Steve’s late night foraysinto the Northside to help Shaw silk-screencampaign T-shirts also made a big impression.

“That was a pretty rough area, not theplace you’d expect to see a young, whitelawyer,” said Shaw, who in 1990 becamethe Florida Supreme Court’s first blackchief justice. Shaw’s 1972 bid failed. It wasa time when one of his white challenger’scampaign slogans was “looks like a judge” —a time before Jacksonville was ready for ablack judge. But in Glover’s race this year,the Pajcics gave the city the chance to provetimes have changed.

“The whole notion of running for sheriffmight not have moved forward without their involvement,”Glover says. “Theunselfishness standsout. They weren’ttrying to get anythingfrom me. There wereno conditions — theydidn’t ask me to giveanybody a job oranything like that.They are unselfish andhave the best interestof the community inmind.”

“They spent ayear of their livescommitted to gettingme elected. [But] the most significantthing that developedwas the personalrelationship withthem. I feel close tothem, like they’remy brothers.”

Ambulance chasersThe law offices of Pajcic & Pajcic take up

much of the 31st floor of the IndependentLife building downtown. Although theydon’t advertise, the Pajcics are the busiestpersonal injury attorneys in the city, withabout 500 cases at a given time. The officesare friendly and bustling, with five attorneysand a support staff of 30.

On his way to the main conference room,Steve Pajcic sticks his head in the office ofattorney Bob Link. Link has a seat belt in hishands and is snapping it against his hip.After a couple of tries, pops open. Pajcic andLink laugh but are nervous about whetherthe seat belt will open if they use thedemonstration in a settlement mediation.Their client is suing General Motors and itsseat-belt maker, claiming the belt cameundone in an accident. The client is aquadriplegic because of the accident.

“We’re proud of what we do, and we’reproud of how the system works when it worksright,” Steve says. “First, you get a sense ofsatisfaction from helping people during a

The Pajcics, partners on Nat Glover’s campaign for sheriff, were at his acceptance speech.

Gubernatorial candidate Steve Pajcic waved to supporters as he and his wife walked to the poll in November 1986. Pajcic lost.

After playing basketball for Paxon High School, Steve Pajcic went on to join Princetons team.More interested in his studies, Pajcicspent most of time on the bench.

– M. Jack Luedke/staff

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Pajcic brothers’ ‘unselfishness stands out,, Glover says

Gary Pajcic, a starting quarterbackat Florida State University, may bebest known for an incomplete pass in 1966. However, a photo in his office shows that the play was good.

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