LAWYER PROFILE
J Kelly Duncan

J Kelly Duncan

USA 2026

Chambers ranking badge
Chambers ranking badge

Ranked in 2 practice areas

About

Provided by Jones Walker LLP

Career

Kelly Duncan is co-chair of Jones Walker's Gaming Industry Team. Since the early 1990s and the passage of legislation in states outside of Nevada and New Jersey authorizing video poker, riverboat gaming, land-based casinos, and racinos, Kelly has been integrally involved in the representation of major commercial and tribal casino companies, as well as online casino gaming companies and sportsbooks, manufacturers, suppliers, financial institutions (including commercial lenders, private equity and investment banking firms) and municipalities. He has extensive experience handling public-private leases, financings, land use approvals, statutory and regulatory interpretation and compliance, gaming operations, administrative hearings, and litigation.

Additionally, Kelly has 40 years of experience handling admiralty, maritime, and international and customs law matters, including domestic and international marine acquisitions, financings, vessel construction, regulatory issues, maritime lien enforcement and foreclosures, contracts of affreightment, terminal tariffs, and charter parties. His international practice encompasses international commercial transactions, customs rulings, protests, reliquidations, seizures, forfeitures, and classification disputes.

Professional Memberships

Kelly is a past president of the International Masters of Gaming Law and a member of the International Association of Gaming Advisors and the Maritime Law Association of the United States.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers Guide to the USA

Gaming & Licensing - Louisiana

Band 1
Band 1

Individual Editorial

Kelly Duncan regularly advises on licensing matters, as well as regulatory aspects of M&A transactions in the gaming sector. His enviable client roster includes a host of US and international companies.

Marine Finance - Louisiana

Band 1
Band 1

Individual Editorial
Kelly Duncan is held in high regard for his expertise in marine finance. He handles sophisticated acquisitions and financings involving marine assets.

Gaming & Licensing - USA - Nationwide

Band 2
Band 2

Individual Editorial
Kelly Duncan is a highly experienced gaming practitioner with strong capabilities in corporate transactions and related real estate deals. Duncan is based in New Orleans and is especially notable for his work on riverboat gaming. He also manages regulatory and compliance work.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Kelly Duncan is extremely knowledgeable about the gaming sector in Louisiana, both substantively and procedurally.

    Gaming & LicensingChambers Guide to the USA
  • I value Kelly's experience and knowledge; his tenure in the industry and how much he knows makes him stand out. He brings a lot of benefits with his expertise.

    Gaming & LicensingChambers Guide to the USA

Ranked Individuals at Jones Walker LLP (113)

Alabama

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Louisiana

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