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State's Attorney Anita Alvarez Announces
Top Management Appointments

State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez today announced the top management team that will help lead her new administration in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. 

The newly elected State’s Attorney has chosen two veteran prosecutors and an attorney from the private sector to serve as First Assistant State’s Attorney, Chief Deputy State’s Attorney and Chief of Staff. 

Keeping her promise to promote more women and minorities, Alvarez has named Adrienne Mebane First Assistant State’s Attorney.  Much like Alvarez, Mebane is a veteran Cook County prosecutor who joined the State’s Attorney’s Office in 1985 and steadily worked her way up through the ranks. 

A Chicago native, Mebane has tried hundreds of felonies ranging from drug cases to homicides.  She has held numerous supervisory positions including Supervisor of the Homicide Sex Unit and Supervisor of the Preliminary Hearings/Grand Jury Unit.  Mebane left the State’s Attorney’s Office in 1998 to serve as a Deputy General Counsel for the Chicago Transit Authority but returned in 2003 to assume the position of Chief of Staff to the State’s Attorney, a post she has held since that time. 

“I am very proud to name Adrienne Mebane as my First Assistant.  She is a seasoned veteran with a keen understanding of the day-to-day operations of our office. Most importantly, she understands how we can do better,” Alvarez said.

In the position of First Assistant, Mebane will be responsible for overall day-to-day operations of the State’s Attorney’s Office, focusing on policy, budget and management efficiencies. 

The position of Chief Deputy State’s Attorney will go to Walt Hehner, a felony trial veteran who has prosecuted all types of criminal cases including the successful prosecution of the murders of two Chicago Police Officers. 

Originally from Southern Illinois, Hehner began his legal career handling criminal appeals cases in the Appellate Prosecutor’s Office in the 3rd Judicial District in Ottawa, Il.  

Hehner joined the State’s Attorney’s Office in 1989 and has served as Deputy Supervisor of the Felony Review Unit, Supervisor in the Felony Trial Division and his present position which is Deputy Chief of the Narcotics Bureau.  As Chief Deputy, Hehner will take a hands-on role in managing the bureau chiefs
in the State’s Attorney’s Office who oversee the nearly 900 attorneys handling all criminal prosecutions and civil litigation.   

Alvarez has named attorney Daniel Kirk to be her Chief of Staff.  Kirk has been a partner at the Chicago law firm of Querrey and Harrow where he has worked for the last 6 years.  He has extensive experience as a trial attorney in State and Federal Court. 

Kirk returns to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office where he served as an Assistant State’s Attorney from 1997 to 2002.

As Chief of Staff, Kirk will serve as an advisor to the State’s Attorney and will manage attorney recruitment and hiring, training, grants, technology projects, legislation and community outreach.   He will also coordinate intergovernmental affairs, and serve as a liaison to the Cook County Board of Commissioners.

“My senior management team shares my vision for the future of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and I will be well served with them at my side,” Alvarez said.