Duane is a seasoned trial attorney with more than 15 years experience handling complex civil litigation.  He previously served as the Deputy Chief of Trials for the Borough of Brooklyn’s Tort Division for the City of New York -- the city's busiest trial calendar -- and created and led a trial team for the city's Special State Law Enforcement Defense Unit – a specialized unit created specifically to litigate the city's growing police misconduct cases.  After his tenure in New York, Duane served as a senior trial attorney in the Equity Section of the D.C. Office of the Attorney General, where he defended the District and its executive level agencies, officials, and employees in class actions and complex constitutional litigation challenging the Districts laws, regulations, policies, and practices.    

As a lead attorney and supervisor, Duane has overseen more than 60 jury trials to verdict in a wide range of matters, including civil rights, police misconduct, personal injury, school liability, and premises liability, and he has played a direct role in the successful settlement of hundreds of other matters.  A leader in his field, Duane has tried high exposure law enforcement cases involving significant damages, including claims for wrongful death, wrongful conviction, and excessive force.  Duane has also served as a Faculty Instructor for the City of New York’s National Institute of Trial Advocacy’s legal skills program.  In recognition of his significant contributions to the practice, Duane was nominated for New York Law Journal’s Rising Stars Awards for the Region’s Most Promising Lawyers Under 40. 

​

​