James Hill

James Mahoney Hill, a nationally respected mergers and acquisitions attorney, died Tuesday morning at his home in Shaker Heights, Ohio. He was 63. Mr. Hill was longtime managing partner of the Benesch Friedlander law firm in Cleveland. Born in Sioux City, Iowa, Mr. Hill graduated from the University of Iowa and Yale Law School and practiced law in Chicago before moving to Cleveland in 1987. Mr. Hill, a lifelong enthusiast of music and theatre and advocate for arts education, was an avid reader, especially of history, fiction and biography. A deeply committed and valued counselor to his clients, he also advised and directed Sioux City Brick, his family business, and served many years as an officer of the Cleveland Play House Board of Directors. Mr. Hill is survived by his wife Freda Levenson, Legal Director of the ACLU of Ohio; his children Chloé, a physician, Ezekiel, an attorney, Arlo, an actor, and Naomi Hill, a student at Cornell University; his siblings Mary Watt and David Hill; and his granddaughter Zola. A memorial service will be held Friday, December 16th at 2 pm at the Temple Tifereth-Israel, 26000 Shaker Blvd., Beachwood. Family and friends will be received at the residence on Friday following the service until 8 pm and Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm. The family suggests that any contributions in Mr. Hill’s memory be made to the Cleveland Play House or the ACLU of Ohio.