People

James P. Hecht, 83, Woodstock, IL. James Perry Hecht's children announce their father's peaceful passing on February 12th, 2018 in Woodstock, IL, his beloved hometown, on Abraham Lincoln's own birthday, his hero. He was surrounded by his loving family, books, pictures, paintings, and music.

A third-generation Woodstock resident, the town he so loved, Jim was an avid jazz musician and aficionado, fly fisherman, traveler, art and book collector, and intellectual. A 1953 Woodstock High School graduate, James P. Hecht graduated Cum Laude with Phi Beta Kappa distinction from Carleton College in Northfield, MN in 1957. In June 1960, he earned his LL.B. from Yale Law School and was admitted to the Illinois Bar upon which he practiced as attorney at law at his own firm for 53 years on the historic Woodstock Square. As an attorney, he received the preeminent AV rating from his peers for the highest level of legal knowledge, ethical standards, and professional excellence. 

Wheaton law firm Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC recently hired Amanda M. Zannoni as a new associate. Zannoni is a May 2017 graduate of the Syracuse University College of Law, where she received her juris doctor and a certificate in estate planning. She was sworn into the Illinois State Bar in November 2017 and practices estate planning and family law. While at Syracuse, she worked for the Elder Law Clinic and represented elderly clients in the areas of family law, estate planning, and elder law.

The law firms of Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice (BSCR) and Williams Venker & Sanders (WVS) will be merging July 1, 2018.

The merged firm will continue to be known as Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice and will be headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Scott Kreamer will remain managing member, responsible for the day-to-day operations and long-term planning of the firm. Mike Hunter will serve as the manager in charge of the merged firm’s St. Louis and Illinois offices.