ISBA Laureate James B. "Jim" Wham, 92, died May 20, 2011, in Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He was a trial lawyer, practicing his entire career at Wham and Wham Attorneys in Centralia. A Laureate of the ISBA Academy of Lawyers, Wham actually was the inspiration for establishment of the Academy. His rousing speech at the 1998 Annual Meeting in St. Louis, where he received the General Practice Section Tradition of Excellence Award, led Cheryl I. Niro to implement the Laureate program during her presidency the following year. He was a veteran in World War II. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis, and his daughters, Sarah Cary and Jennifer Price, and his brother, William B. Wham. Services have been held. Sign the online guestbook at thesouthern.com.