Scott’s practice focuses primarily on estate tax planning and business succession matters for ultra high net worth families, with the majority between $25MM – $500MM+.

Scott’s early and extensive experience at a Tier 1 nationally ranked law firm in Chicago as well as in his current role as a leader of the trusts and estates group at Duggan Bertsch has provided him with the expertise necessary to navigate complex estate tax matters, difficult business succession matters and the interactions therefrom in all types of corporate transactional (M&A) and family business dispute matters.

The majority of Scott’s clients have significant estate tax exposures from multi-generational wealth (primarily for medium and large closely owned family businesses across the spectrum of manufacturing, construction, real estate, agriculture, technology, etc.) as well as corporate executives and all other families who need sophisticated estate tax expertise.

In addition to his law degree, Scott is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and received his post-doctorate Masters in Taxation (LL.M.) from Northwestern. He is one of only two known estate tax attorneys in the State of Iowa with this additional post-Juris Doctorate (JD) training and the sole attorney in Iowa with material training (5 years) at a Tier 1 (over 1,000 attorney) law firm in a major city (Chicago) primarily representing ultra high net wealth clients.

Scott is one of the five owners of Duggan Bertsch, roughly a 100 person law firm that is focused on representing private clients in the areas of estate tax, business succession and general family office representation.

While Scott resides with his family in West Des Moines, Iowa, his team of roughly 10 attorneys and 5 paralegals primarily practice out of the Chicago office of Duggan Bertsch.

Scott is passionate about bringing the level of sophistication he has garnered over the course of his career to families throughout Iowa [particularly Des Moines (where he lives) and the Quad Cities (where he was born and raised)], along with his representation of a number of families across the country.

*The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize specialties in the practice of law.

Education:

• LL.M., Taxation, Northwestern University School of Law, 2004
• J.D., University of Iowa College of Law, 2003
• B.B.A., Accounting, University of Iowa, 2001

Certification:

• Certified Public Accountant, 2006

Admitted:

• Illinois, 2004
• U.S. Tax Court, 2005
• Iowa, 2010

Professional Activities:

• American Bar Association – Member
• American Association of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants – Member
• Illinois State Bar Association – Member
• Chicago Bar Association – Vice Chair, YLS Taxation Division, 2005-2007
• Chicago Estate Planning Council – Member
• Chicago Iowa Club (University of Iowa) – President
• Iowa Expat Trust – Treasurer and Chicago Team Leader

Publications