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Attorneys

Rebecca J. Dukes 
Howell, Michigan
phone 517-540-1700
866-406-5771 (Toll Free)
fax 517-540-1701
email Email Me

Rebecca J. Dukes is a commercial litigator who focuses her practice on national and state environmental regulatory, litigation, and real estate matters including, remediation of contaminated properties, environmental cost recovery and contribution cases, hazardous waste management, wetland permitting and restoration, regulatory compliance, real estate environmental due diligence, brownfield development and municipal management, alternative and renewable energy projects, greenhouse gas inventory and reduction efforts, sustainable development, offset development and sale projects, and carbon credit valuation and sales.

Ms. Dukes received her Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, from Alma College in 2001 as a trustee honor scholarship recipient majoring in Economics and Pre-law. She earned her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Michigan State University College of law in 2004 as a merit scholarship recipient. While in law school, Ms. Dukes was involved in the Student Bar Association as the Faculty Liaison and earned certification in the highly competitive Trial Practice Institute. Ms. Dukes also received awards for oral advocacy and jurisprudence.

Prior to joining Myers & Myers PLLC, Ms. Dukes was an associate at Clark Hill PLC in the litigation and environmental practice areas. From 2003 through 2004, Ms. Dukes was the research attorney for the Hon. Stanley J. Latreille of the Livingston County Circuit Court.

Ms. Dukes has experience in a broad range of commercial, banking, insurance, construction and transactional matters. She has successfully represented clients in matters involving class actions, arbitration proceedings, appellate proceedings, amicus briefing at the Michigan Supreme Court level, contractual disputes, construction law and litigation, construction liens, real property and landlord-tenant disputes, insurance and administrative agency matters, account collection, creditors' rights in bankruptcy, claim and delivery actions, loan workouts, negotiable instruments and Uniform Commercial Code matters, probate dispute litigation, toxic tort litigation, vehicle warranty claims, sales of structured settlement payments, premises liability litigation, automobile negligence and corporate transactions and litigation. In 2009, Ms. Dukes successfully obtained a jury verdict in a complex environmental contamination case in Los Angeles in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Areas of Practice:
Environmental Law and Litigation
Climate Change/Sustainability
Commercial Litigation
Appellate Law
Insurance Law
Banking and Loan Enforcement Actions
Creditor Rights
Real Estate Transactions and Litigation
Bar Admissions:
Michigan, 2004
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, 2006
U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan, 2005
U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio, 2009
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of Michigan, 2006
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of Michigan, 2006
Education:
Michigan State University College of Law, East Lansing, Michigan, 2003
J.D.
Honors: Magna Cum Laude
Honors: Trial Practice Program Certification
Honors: Merit Scholarship, Full Tuition
Honors: Student Bar Association, Committee Chair
Honors: Runner-up All School Moot Court Competition
Honors: Faculty Hiring and Curriculum Committee, Student Representative
Honors: Jurisprudence Achievement Award, Constitutional Law


Alma College, Alma, Michigan, 2001
B.A.
Honors: Magna Cum Laude
Honors: Trustee Honor Scholarship
Honors: Vocal Performance Scholarship
Honors: Pre-Law Scholarship
Honors: 3-Year Graduate
Honors: Overseas Study in Quito, Ecuador
Honors: Economics Honor Society
Honors: Psychology Honor Society
Major:  Economics
Minor:  Psychology and Sociology


IADC Trial Academy, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, 2009
Honors: Intensive Trial Certification Program Focused on Enhancing Trial and Advocacy Skills
Honors: Interactive Video-Taped Trial Segments
Honors: Critique Of Trial Skills With Nationally-Renowned Trial Lawyers
Honors: Analysis and Implementation Of Technology In Trial Strategy


Published Works:
Treatise Chapter, Environmental Issues in the Construction Setting, Michigan Construction Law Manual, West Publishing, 2009


Treatise Chapter, Environmental Issues in the Construction Setting, Michigan Construction Law Manual, West Publishing, 2010


Treatise Chapter, Environmental Issues in the Construction Setting, Michigan Construction Law Manual, West Publishing, 2011


Michigan Supreme Court Overhauls Permitting, Procedure, and Litigation of Environmental Matters in Michigan, Michigan Environmental Law Journa, winter, 2011


Carbon and Greenhouse Gases - Methods of Regulation, Michigan Environmental Law Journal, Summer, 2010


Carbon and Greenhouse Gases - Methods of Regulation, American Bar Association Young Lawyer's Division Basic Practice Series, September, 2010


Frequent Contributor, Environmental Regulation and Climate Change, iGreenLaw Blog, 2009-2011


Representative Cases:
Quick-Sav Food Stores v. Estate of Kenneth H. Mattis, 2010 LEXIS 98 (Mich. App. 2010)
U-Haul International, Inc. et al v. Barry Ross (United States District Court for the Central District of California 2009)
Deboer v. CSX Transportation, Inc., 2008 LEXIS 2548 (Mich. App. 2008)
Quick-Sav Food Stores v. Mattis, 2008 LEXIS 67 (Mich. App. 2008)
Johns v. Sterling Jewelers, Inc., 2006 LEXIS 91808 (W.D. Mich. 2006)
Classes/Seminars Taught:
Environmental Issues in the Construction Industry, Associated General Contractors, Michigan, 2011


Environmental Risks in Construction Projects, Associated General Contractors, Michigan Young Leaders, 2011


Climate Change Regulations - Risks and Opportunities, Indo/American Chamber of Commerce, 2009


Risks and Opportunities in the Carbon Market, Crowe Horwath, 2009


Attorney Perspectives on Collection Efforts, Michigan Court Officer, Deputy Sheriff & Process Servers Association, 2009


Carbon Cap and Trade Initiatives and Opportunities, ABATE, 2008


Legal Insights on Global Warming and Climate Change Regulation, Grand Rapids Bar Association Young Lawyer's Division, 2008


Regional Climate Initiatives, Michigan Manufacturer's Association, 2008


Moderator, ABA Young Lawyers Division New Lawyers Seminar, 2008


Legal Issues in Loan Documentation, Michigan Banker's Association, May 8, 2012 - Present


Honors and Awards:
Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2010


Professional Associations and Memberships:
State Bar of Michigan, Litigation Section
Member


State Bar of Michigan, Environmental Law Section
Member


American Bar Association, Section of Litigation
Member


American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources
Member


American Bar Association, Section of Women Environmental Litigators
Member


American Bar Association
Member, Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Ecosystems


Michigan Environmental Law Journal
Co-Editor


Association for Child Development
Board of Directors


Past Employment Positions:
Hon. Stanley J. Latreille in the Livingston County Circuit Court, Clerk


Clark Hill PLC, Associate