George Duke

Practice Areas

George is an experienced attorney with a background in hydrogeology and environmental science who helps businesses and developers navigate complex environmental and land use laws and regulations. He is particularly adept at guiding clients through the purchase and redevelopment of brownfield sites.

George advises clients on the environmental and regulatory aspects of corporate and real estate transactions, land development, permitting, and mine reclamation and expansion projects. He assists business clients in site acquisition and due diligence, construction and related project development agreements, project financing, and tax mitigation and development incentives.

George handles environmental enforcement actions pertaining to solid waste, wetlands, petroleum and chemical bulk storage facilities, and various commercial and industrial facilities. A former project manager and hydrogeologist for a national environmental consulting firm, George draws upon his detailed understanding of the basis for environmental legal determinations to solve client problems.

A leader in the area of environmental law, he writes and speaks regularly on topics such as site remediation, brownfield redevelopment, the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (Superfund), the Build Act and professional responsibility.

Career

George joined us from a regional law firm. Before that, he was the founding partner of a New York law firm focused on environmental and land use development and litigation.

He previously practiced with environmental law firms in New York City and New Jersey. He also worked as an Assistant Corporation Counsel in the New York City Law Department’s World Trade Center Unit, where he represented the City of New York in toxic tort claims arising from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. George also litigated environmental claims for the City Law Department’s Environmental Division.

Professional Memberships

New York State Bar Association, Co-Chair, Environmental Law Section Task Force on Licensed State Professionals | New York City Brownfield Partnership, President

Chair, Legislative and Policy Committee | New Jersey State Bar Association | Association of the Bar of the City of New York | New Jersey School Boards Association, Ad hoc Charter School Committee

Education