S. Mark Dukes (Retired)

mdukes@hglawpc.com
Central Alabama Office

Mark Dukes has successfully represented clients in a wide range of practice areas in state and federal courts throughout Alabama. He has defended clients in jury trials in 17 counties and obtained defense verdicts in some of the most difficult venues in Alabama. An area of particular interest has been his defense of individual and business clients engaged in the purchase and harvest of timber in Alabama’s large timber industry. These cases typically involve legal issues from common law torts and property law, to statutory remedies, to probate law. Mr. Dukes has authored winning appellate briefs in state and federal court; in one case obtaining reversal and remand of a $900,000.00 judgment entered against his client when it was represented by other counsel. Mr. Dukes was honored by his peers in the defense bar to be elected to a three-year term as a director of the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association. He has been a shareholder in the firm since 2005.

Before joining the firm, Mr. Dukes was a Senior Deputy District Attorney in Montgomery County where he prosecuted major felony cases, from murders to drug trafficking. He tried 46 felony jury trials in 48 months as the lead prosecutor, assisted in dozens of other trials, and managed the District Attorney’s Drug Diversion Program.

During his military service, Mr. Dukes led a Special Forces team responsible for special intelligence activities in hostile, denied areas. He commanded a Special Forces Signal Company in a multinational exercise in Europe. As an Intelligence Officer in Army airborne and light infantry units, he handled a variety of assignments, including intelligence collection and analysis at
levels from brigade to corps. After his military service, Mr. Dukes worked in national security studies, producing analyses focused on special operations, antiterrorism, and foreign military
capabilities.

Mr. Dukes has taught classes at the graduate and undergraduate level as an adjunct instructor at Jones School of Law and Faulkner University.

Mr. Dukes and his wife, Denise, are proud parents of four adult daughters. He is a member of a small medical team that deploys annually to South America providing medical support to Christian ministry in Amerindian villages in southern Guyana. Mr. Dukes has served in ministries of the Vaughn Park Church of Christ, including teaching adult and children’s Bible classes, serving on the security team, Inner City Ministry, and leading a study and ministry group. He is a past director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the River Region.

Bar Admissions

  • Alabama State Bar
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Alabama
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Alabama
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama

Legal Education

  • University of Alabama School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1995
  • Alabama State Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award

Non Legal Education

  • Georgetown University, Master of Arts (National Security Studies), 1988
  • Vanderbilt University, Bachelor of Arts (Slavic Studies), 1979
  • Distinguished Military Graduate, U.S. Army R.O.T.C.

Current and Past Affiliations

  • Alabama State Bar Association
  • Alabama Defense Lawyers Association
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Montgomery County Bar Association
  • Boys and Girls Clubs of the River Region – Director

After a 23 years with the firm Mark Dukes retired on February 29, 2024.

Areas of Practice

  • General Civil Litigation
  • Insurance Defense
  • Forestry Law
  • Motor Vehicle Defense
  • Insurance Coverage
  • Wrongful Death
  • Professional Liability