Patrick Joseph Hecker

Patrick J. Hecker is a former pastor, social worker, and mental health clinician who brings his background in the helping professions to the criminal practice of law. Before joining SBBL, he clerked in the Illinois Appellate Court and for a Federal District judge in the Western District of Oklahoma. Through observing high stakes trials, drafting published judicial opinions, and collaborating closely with state and federal judges, Patrick gained a deep understanding of how judicial decisions are actually made. Knowing how judges evaluate legal arguments, Patrick crafts each brief to achieve the strongest possible result. Passionate and empathetic, he leaves no stone unturned in the pursuit of justice.

Background

After graduating with a B.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies, Patrick simultaneously pursued a Master’s in Divinity and a Master’s in Social Work from Duke Divinity School and the University of North Carolina. He then moved to Los Angeles where he worked as a chaplain in a small middle and high school. Seeking more direct ways to pursue justice than what he could achieve through ministry, Patrick decided to change careers. He worked as a social worker—helping homeless clients struggling with drug addiction and severe psychoses—during the day and studying for the law school admissions test (LSAT) at night. Patrick then attended Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.

As described above, Patrick has clerked in the Illinois Appellate Court and in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. He now brings a wealth of experience understanding what busy judges look for out of briefs at all levels of the American court system (state, federal, trial, and appellate). He has also drafted orders and opinions responding to motions about each point in the criminal process—pre-trial, trial, sentencing, direct appeals, post-conviction appeals, and petitions for habeas corpus.

Patrick has lived in six different states and has studied or worked in Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, South Africa, Uganda, and the Netherlands. Fluent in Spanish, he enjoys connecting with people of all walks of life no matter where he finds himself.

Awards

Lowden-Wigmore Prize for legal writing

Publications

Northwestern Journal of Law and Social Policy

Legally Alone: The Redeemability of Guardianship and Recommendations Toward Equitable Access

Clerkships

Law clerk to the Hon. Chief Judge Timothy DeGiusti, U.S. District Court, Western District of Oklahoma

Law Clerk to the Hon. Justice Mary Mikva, Illinois Appellate Court, First District