Cortney D. Duke
Managing Attorney, Portland Office
Cortney Duke earned her BA from Concordia University in Portland Oregon in 2001 and her J. D. at Valparaiso University School of Law in Valparaiso Indiana in 2004 where she concentrated in civil practice. She joined Schroeder Law Offices, PC, as an attorney in the fall of 2004 having served as a law clerk during the summer of 2002.
Having grown up in a small agricultural town where most people, including her parents, raised cattle and relied on water to support farming and ranching operations, Ms. Duke brings to her practice an appreciation of Oregon agricultural and a desire to protect and preserve “a way of life”.
Ms. Duke focuses her practice on assisting and advising agricultural clients and water organizations. Ms. Duke has advised special districts, including irrigation districts, water improvement companies, ditch and canal companies, with issues such as district formation, compliance with District formalities, creation and establishment of district by-laws and rules and regulations, contracting and negotiating with individual patrons, water delivery, easement establishment and protection, waste and storm water management, filing liens, public meetings and records law, elections, water right transactions, district transfers, and litigation. Since joining Schroeder Law Offices, PC, she has also assisted both district and individual users with negotiating and amending Bureau of Reclamation contracts, dam removal, permit and certificate issuance, permit extensions, water right transfers, and ESA Compliance.
Ms. Duke also has extensive experience with Oregon Administrative Law. Ms. Duke has broad experience with agency decision making by proposed final order or final order and advises her clients on the administrative process and legal options as each stage in an agency action. Ms. Duke has assisted clients in protesting administrative decisions in contested case hearings. Ms. Duke has been extensively involved in contested case proceedings, which are quasi judicial proceedings, and conducted factual investigations, prepared and presented legal arguments, prepared and completed written and oral discovery, prepared and examined factual witnesses, negotiated and completed settlement agreements, prepared and filed exceptions to proposed decisions and prepared and filed petitions for judicial review as necessary.
A member of the Oregon State Bar Association, she has been appointed to the executive committee of the Administrative Law Section (effective January 2009). She is currently serving as past-chair of the committee, having served as chair in 2012, chair elect in 2011, and secretary in 2010. She is a member of the Multnomah Bar Association and has served on the Young Lawyer's Division, Service to the Public Committee from 2007 to 2010. She is a member of the Oregon Agricultural Alliance, AgriBusiness Council of Oregon and Oregon Water Resources Congress. Ms. Duke has served and chaired on committees for both AgriBusiness Council or Oregon and the Oregon Water Resources Congress.
Ms. Duke is admitted to practice in Oregon and Nevada, the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, The United States District Court for the District of Nevada, and the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Ms. Duke is the managing attorney of Schroeder Law Offices Portland.