Quincy University to induct four into Legal Hall of Fame on Saturday

QUINCY — Quincy University will induct four people into its Legal Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Saturday, April 15, in the Hall of Fame Room in the Health and Fitness Center, 20th and Oak. A cocktail hour starts at 6 p.m., with dinner and the ceremony to follow.

The 2023 inductees are:

• Michael Bickhaus, Class of 1990
• William “Bill” Davis, Class of 2004
• Melissa Pratt Lore, Class of 1997
• Mark Mantovani, Class of 1976

Bickhaus is managing partner of Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu and Mitchell LLP law firm in Quincy. He focuses his practice on estate planning, business, real estate, agricultural and banking law. Bickhaus has assisted clients with the purchase, sale and succession planning for a variety of businesses. He also has assisted clients with forming and implementing estate plans to pass significant assets to their beneficiaries.

Bickhaus earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting at Quincy College in 1990 and his law degree from the University of Missouri School of Law in 1994. Bickhaus is licensed to practice in Illinois, Missouri, Arizona, Texas and the U.S. Supreme Court. He has been on the board of many local charities and organizations. He and his wife, Kristine, were co-chairs of the 2018-19 QU Fund Drive.

Davis is a partner at Brown, Hay & Stephens LLP in Springfield. His practice is primarily in the area of medical malpractice defense in Sangamon, Logan, Macon and Christian counties. He began his legal career as an assistant state’s attorney at the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office in Springfield. He prosecuted 20 jury trials and dozens of bench trials, including a range of cases from traffic, misdemeanor, DUI, domestic violence, aggravated criminal sexual assault and first-degree murder.

Davis became an assistant attorney general in the sexual violent person’s bureau in 2011. He prosecuted the civil commitment of sexually violent persons throughout the state south of I-80. Davis left the attorney general’s office to work with Brown, Hay & Stephens. He earned his bachelor’s in history from QU in 2004 and his legal degree from SIU Carbondale.

Lore is the chief compliance officer at FFF Enterprises, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical distributor headquartered in Temecula, Calif., that specializes in plasma products, rare and orphan drugs and vaccines. She has more than 20 years of legal and compliance experience, including more than a decade in the pharmaceutical industry.

Lore first practiced complex commercial litigation at large law firms in Chicago and Philadelphia before joining pharmaceutical giant Merck in 2010. Merck spun off some of its business lines into a new publicly-traded, global healthcare company focused on improving women’s health, and Lore led the compliance function at the new company, Organon. Her success in setting up the compliance program at Organon led to her role with FFF Enterprises. She received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Quincy University and her Juris Doctor from the Northwestern University School of Law.

Mantovani served as chairman, president and CEO of Ansira, a St. Louis-based diversified marketing services business, where he managed all company operations. Under his leadership, the company expanded from a small family-owned company to a highly regarded industry leader.

Before his time with Ansira, Mantovani was co-founder and principal in the St. Louis law firm of Behr, Mantovani, McCarter & Potter, P.C. During his private law practice, Mantovani advised and represented clients on legal matters involving general corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, taxation, succession and estate planning and related issues. Mantovani was also a fellow in residence at the Harvard University Advanced Leadership Initiative for two years. He was listed in the St. Louis Business Journal as one of the most influential citizens in St. Louis. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and his law degree from University of Missouri.

Reservations are required. For reservations, call 217-228-5227.