Meet The Team
Brian C. Konkel, JD
Brian is a partner in the Firm’s litigation, corporate, and entertainment and sports law practice groups. Brian’s civil litigation practice covers a wide array of civil matters including commercial/business disputes, shareholder disputes, contract disputes, construction, intellectual property, and employment. As a member of the firm’s sports law practice group, Brian counsels players, coaches, teams, schools, and other athletic entities on a wide array of legal issues, including disappointment lawsuits, eligibility questions in the collegiate and high school context, drug testing and doping, recreational immunity, social media policy concerns, Olympic issues, and matters seeking injunctive relief. Brian also serves as outside general counsel to a number of entrepreneurs and businesses. In his entertainment practice, Brian counsels numerous music and art festivals, and other events on matters including contract formation and negotiation, risk management, insurance needs, and intellectual property.
Brian also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law at DePaul University College of Law, where he teaches a course in sports law.
Prior to joining the Firm, Brian was with the firm SmithAmundsen LLC. Brian has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Michigan, and a Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law (Cum Laude). Brian is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, Young Lawyers Section, and the Defense Research Institute (DRI), Young Lawyers Committee. Brian is also a frequent columnist for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Brian has also been selected as an Emerging Lawyer in the fields of commercial litigation and arts, entertainment & sports law each year since 2018, a distinction received by less than 2% of all lawyers in Illinois.
Publications
Corporate Transparency Act – Mandatory Reporting Requirements Expected to Impact Millions of Business Entities
Background: Congress enacted the Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”) on January 1, 2021, to help prevent and combat money laundering, terrorist financing, organized crime, and other illicit activity. Effective January 1, 2024, the CTA will require most existing and newly formed corporate entities in the U.S. to file reports with the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes […]
Recent U.S. Supreme Court Case Impacts Trust Taxation
The U.S. Supreme Court recently issued its opinion on North Carolina Department of Revenue v. The Kimberley Rice Kaestner 1992 Family Trust, which addressed “….the limits of a State’s power to tax a trust.” This is the first time in decades the Supreme Court has addressed this issue, and its decision could have significant implications for […]
State and Local Tax Reminder about State Income Tax Residency
At DUGGAN BERTSCH, LLC, we are often asked by clients to explain the process by which a taxpayer can establish a “new” state residency for income tax purposes. Sometimes we are asked to explain the impact of moving to a new state altogether or about the impact of remaining in your current state of residence while […]
STATE AND LOCAL TAXATION REMINDER:
Our firm represents both individuals as well as numerous and varied business entities. While determining state tax obligations is always a complex process, when a taxpayer has income from sources in multiple states, the complexity greatly increases. Past considerations relied upon “physical presence” as the main factor in determining tax reporting obligations – those days have quickly […]
Brian Konkel Discusses “Taco Tuesday” Trademark Battle
Brian Konkel discussed the “Taco Tuesday” trademark legal battle between Taco Bell and Taco John on The Lisa Dent Show on May 17, 2023. Click on the link to listen to the recording: https://wgnradio.com/lisa-dent/can-taco-tuesday-be-trademarked/
Timothy Liam Epstein, Esq. named one of Billboard Magazine’s top music lawyers for the fourth year in a row
Please join DUGGAN BERTSCH, LLC in congratulating our partner, Timothy Liam Epstein, Esq., for being named one of Billboard Magazine’s top music lawyers for the fourth year in a row for his work on behalf of clients in the live entertainment space.
FTC Fines Digital Healthcare Company $7.8M for Sharing Personal Data of Consumers with Advertisers
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently fined digital mental healthcare provider BetterHelp $7.8 million for sharing the personal health information of millions of consumers with advertisers like Facebook, Snapchat, Criteo and Pinterest. BetterHelp is the second digital health company to be targeted this year by the FTC for its use of consumers’ health information and […]
Congratulations to our 2023 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars!
The Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars is an honor reserved for those lawyers who exhibit excellence in practice. Only 5% of attorneys in Illinois receive this distinction. Attorneys are selected through a patented selection process involving nominations, research, and peer reviews. In addition to our numerous prior and existing award recipients, DUGGAN BERTSCH, LLC […]