Jacob L. Zerkle

At Ernst & Young, Jacob participates in various types of compliance and consulting engagements with tax-exempt organizations.

As an associate attorney at Bea & VandenBerk, Jacob provided legal counsel to tax-exempt organizations and social enterprises on corporate formation, application for federal tax exemption, multistate charitable registration and solicitation, and property tax exemptions. He drafted child protection policies, analyzed criminal background checking procedures, and advised clients on mandatory reporting laws. In addition, Jacob helped clients understand issues stemming from unrelated business income, private benefit transactions, and the deduction of donated vehicles, as well as Bitcoin and other virtual currencies.

Jacob graduated from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois, in 2005 with a B.A. in Applied Linguistics and Bible. His interest in serving nonprofit organizations developed during this time as he volunteered with organizations such as Chicago House, World Relief, Joni and Friends, and Wycliffe Bible Translators. After Moody, he served as the youth pastor for a church in southeastern Ohio before enrolling in Valparaiso University Law School in Indiana.

While attending law school, Jacob took advantage of a wide range of educational opportunities. He completed clerkships in the Northern District of Indiana for District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen and Magistrate Judge Paul R. Cherry, as well as an externship with the United States Attorney’s Office. He served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review, overseeing the production and publication of four separate issues. During law school, Jacob enjoyed volunteering at the Lawndale Christian Legal Center and the BridgePoint Church’s homeless ministry. He graduated magna cum laude in May of 2013 and joined Bea & VandenBerk shortly after.

He currently enjoys volunteering at Cabrini Green Legal Aid's Help Desk in the Daley Center, assisting individuals with sealing, expungement, and other alternative forms of relief.