William (Bill) Howard Brewster

A graduate of Emory University (B.A./M.A. ’84) and the University of Virginia's School of Law (J.D. ’87), Bill was a loyal supporter in everything he did—especially when it came to sports. He held Atlanta Braves season tickets for over thirty years, Atlanta Falcons season tickets for over two decades, and season tickets to both Atlanta United FC and the now-relocated Atlanta Thrashers since their inaugural seasons. He was also a devoted UVA basketball fan, having suffered through years of losing seasons before finally attending the 2019 Final Four, where his beloved ’Hoos won it all.

Bill worked as a trademark attorney for Kilpatrick Townsend for thirty-seven years and was widely recognized as one of the country's top trademark and advertising litigators. He was lead trial counsel in numerous high-stakes cases, including adidas v. Payless, where his team won the largest jury verdict ever entered in a trademark case. For six years, Bill served as the firm’s managing partner and remains the youngest person to ever lead an AmLaw 200 firm. For the last seventeen years, he proudly led the largest trademark team in the world. His colleagues often joked Bill enjoyed his work more than any other lawyer in the country.

Bill was an active community volunteer. He served as a member of Kilpatrick Townsend's Pro Bono Committee, and he received the inaugural Community Service Award from the Georgia State Bar IP Section, which recognized his pro bono contributions as well as his time as Chair of the Board for Special Olympics Georgia. At the time of his passing, Bill was Chair of the Board for Giving Kitchen, which assists food service workers especially in times of crisis. He oversaw the growth of this organization from statewide to nationwide with over 22,000 individuals served.

Bill sought to inspire future generations. He had recently been teaching trademark law as an adjunct professor at the University of Georgia's School of Law, driving to Athens every Sunday night in the fall term to teach an 8 a.m. class on Monday mornings. He had previously taught trademark law for over a decade at Emory University's School of Law as well as ethics as an adjunct at the University of Virginia's School of Law.

Above all, Bill was an unwavering supporter of his family. He never missed his children’s games, recitals, or concerts. He was a family vacation planner extraordinaire, organizing everything from whirlwind tours of international locales to bike races with his in-laws. He was the epitome of a loving husband and father. Bill and his wife, Karen, met at Parkview High School in 1978 and fell in love while working at Del Taco. They had been married for thirty-eight years and were steadfast in their encouragement and support of each other. Bill is survived by his wife, Karen Brewster, and their three children, Kristina, Will (fiancée Laura), and Katie (husband Sam) Clark; his parents, William and Maridell Brewster; and his brother, Kevin (Rebecca) Brewster, and their children, T.C. and Eric.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 5th at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, 3180 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations "in memory of Bill Brewster" to either Giving Kitchen https://thegivingkitchen.org/give-now or Special Olympics Georgia https://support.specialolympics.org/a/georgia