312.442.9076

Experienced and Trusted.

Our mission has always been to provide excellent legal services to the nonprofit sector and the creative world founded on experience, integrity, and trust. 

David Bea and Kathryn VandenBerk first practiced law together in the 1990s at a firm that exclusively focused on nonprofit organization law. In the early 2000s, each founded their own firm and remained fully committed to serving nonprofits. David developed an intellectual property practice through representing publishers, filmmakers, software developers, and other creative professionals. Daniel Mays joined Bea & Associates in 2007. In 2013 the two firms merged to form Bea & VandenBerk. Today Kathryn is “mostly” retired and David and Daniel are the firm’s shareholders. 

We believe that an effective lawyer provides not only highly knowledgeable counsel and advice but also personal service and close attention to crucial details. We are committed to understanding the circumstances and goals of the nonprofits, enterprises, and creatives that we serve.  From strategy, conceptual framing, and drafting, we offer legal counsel that effectively addresses the immediate issues at hand with a view toward foreseeable future needs.  

Around the Chicago area and around the nation, our focus on nonprofit law and creative intellectual property makes us a clear choice for nonprofits and creatives of all types.

Areas of Practice:

  • Nonprofit Corporate Law
  • Federal Income Tax Exemption
  • Sales Tax and Property Tax Exemptions
  • Publishing and Entertainment Law
  • Intellectual Property, Copyright and Trademark
  • Contracts and Commercial Transactions
  • Employment Law

Those we serve:

  • 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(6), and all Types of Tax-Exempt Nonprofits
  • Churches and Religious Organizations
  • Publishers, Authors, and Filmmakers
  • Select Small Businesses

What we are saying

Recent articles from our library of Insights

See them all here

For Nonprofits

The Return of the IRS Group Exemption: What Nonprofits Need to Know

California and Europe Lead the Way on Data Privacy – More States to Follow

Act Promptly to Respond to a Data Breach

Group Exemption Letters to Become More Restrictive

IRS Announces Guidance for “Siloing” Separate Unrelated Businesses

Intellectual Property

Anthropic Copyright Settlement Provides Relief to Authors and Publishers, but Questions Still Remain

Trademark Modernization Act Provides New Tools to Cancel or Stop Trademark Registrations

California and Europe Lead the Way on Data Privacy – More States to Follow

Special Copyright Provisions for Certain Nonprofits

Nonprofits and the Fair Use Defense

For Businesses

Force Majeure Clauses Gain Prominence During COVID-19

Avoid the Pitfalls of Careless Contract Drafting

Beware of Work-for-Hire Nuances

Brexit Changes European Trademark Registration Strategies

COVID-19: Family and Medical Leave Legislation

What they are saying

Our not-for-profit has used the services of Bea & VandenBerk for many years. Their team is responsive to our needs, helps us with direction in our projects, and is committed to our mission. I highly recommend the firm.

—International Nonprofit Paralegal

As the director of a small music nonprofit, I was faced with a legal problem that carried big risks. Attorney David Bea consulted with me as if I was a Fortune 500 company! At least that’s how it felt. His knowledge, experience, and confidence in the matters at hand were impressive, and we came to very good conclusions very quickly, and the case was closed and put behind us.

—Nonprofit President

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