David A. Berek
Horwood Marcus & Berk, Chartered • Chicago, IL
Employee BenefitsEstate PlanningTaxTax Planning
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Contact
Email
Phone
(773) 800-2911
Address
500 West Madison Street, Chicago, IL, 60661, US
Professional
About
David A. Berek, a distinguished Partner in the Trusts & Estates group at Horwood Marcus & Berk, Chartered, brings a wealth of expertise in Family Office Structuring and Administration, Wealth Transfer Planning, Income Tax Planning, and Trusts & Estates to his clients in Chicago, IL. With a robust background that combines legal acumen and financial insight, David is dedicated to crafting tailored strategies that meet the intricate needs of high-net-worth individuals and families. Before joining Horwood Marcus & Berk, David excelled as a Director at Credit Suisse, where he served as a Family CFO within their family office division, formerly known as Frye Louis. In this role, he led the wealth planning group for the US Central Region, providing invaluable advice on family office operations and sophisticated wealth transfer techniques. His impressive career also includes significant legal experience with notable firms such as McGuireWoods LLP and Kirkland & Ellis LLP, as well as tax and trust planning with Arthur Andersen LLP and Coopers & Lybrand LLP. David’s commitment to the legal profession extends beyond practice. He is the esteemed editor of the two-volume treatise “Illinois Estate Planning, Will Drafting and Estate Administration Forms with Practical Commentary” published by LexisNexis. As an adjunct professor at DePaul University and The John Marshall Law School, he shares his extensive knowledge by teaching courses on Estate Planning, Taxation of Decedents, and Fiduciary Income Tax in graduate programs. Holding a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from DePaul University and a Juris Doctorate, cum laude, along with an LL.M. in Employee Benefits from The John Marshall Law School, David is well-equipped to navigate the complexities of tax law. His accolades include being a John S. Nolan Tax Law Fellow of the American Bar Association and a former chair of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Trusts & Estates Section Council. Licensed to practice in both Illinois and Florida, David has earned an AV® Preeminent™ peer review rating by Martindale-Hubbell, reflecting his outstanding legal abilities and ethical standards. As a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Financial Planner™, David A. Berek stands out as a trusted advisor in the realms of estate planning and wealth management.
Credentials
Education
N/A DePaul University BS - Bachelor of Science N/A John Marshall Law School JD - Juris Doctor N/A John Marshall Law School LL.M - Master of Laws
Languages
English
Recognition & Involvement
Awards
2011 Income Tax 2011-2015, Illinois Leading Lawyer Network 2011 Estate Planning 2011-2015, Illinois Leading Lawyer Network 2003 John S. Nolan Tax Law Fellow, American Bar Association
Publications
2013 Commerce Clearing House (CCH) publication Federal Income Taxation of Decedents, Estates and Trusts 2007 Lexis Nexis Publishing Illinois Estate Planning, Will Drafting and Estate Administration Forms with Practical Commentary
Associations
2013 - Present American Bar Association, Taxation Section, Fiduciary Income Tax Committee Chair 2015-2017 2005 - Present Certified Financial Planner Certificant 1993 - Present Illinois Society of Certified Public Accountants Member 2007 - 2008 Illinois State Bar Association, Trusts and Estates Section Chair 2005 - 2006 American Bar Association, Tax Section, Tax Practice Management Chair
Speaking
2013 Northwest Suburban Estate Planning Council Estate and Gift Tax Update 2013 Mid-Year Meeting - Orlando Recent Developments Affecting the Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates 2013 Illinois State Bar Association, Trusts and Estates Section Income Tax and Estate Tax Developments 2013 Estate Planning Short Course Ethics in Estate Planning: Issues Raised When Attorneys are Asked to Serve as Fiduciaries for Clients 2013 Estate and Gift Tax Conference Fiduciary Income Tax Strategies and Background
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Updated: Jul 28, 2026