Walker M. Duke
About
Walker M. Duke is a seasoned personal injury attorney who has won tens of millions of dollars for his clients since co-founding Duke Seth, PLLC. A tenacious fighter, he prides himself on listening to the needs of his clients and crafting legal strategies to obtain maximum compensation for their injuries. Walker believes the key to success is hard work and thorough preparation, creativity, and never losing sight of his client’s goals.
When clients turn to Walker for help, they are often facing the most difficult moments of their life, whether it is a catastrophic injury, the wrongful death of a loved one, or the loss of the physical ability to take care of the day-to-day activities of life. He understands both the physical and emotional toll of a personal injury, and he prioritizes letting his clients know what is happening in their case, but also explaining why things are happening so his clients understand the legal process.
Walker’s dedication to service extends beyond the courtroom, as he helped develop the Duke Seth Charitable Matching Program, in which the Firm matches any donation made by its clients to selected nonprofit organizations, and he has served as a judge for moot court and mock trial competitions.
Throughout his career, Walker has been a frequent writer and speaker on cutting edge legal topics and has helped educate other attorneys. He has received numerous legal awards, including being named a Super Lawer four times and a Rising Star five times by Thomson Reuters. He is a lifetime member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas for his commitment to continued legal education, and a member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association—the preeminent organization for personal injury attorneys in Texas.
Admissions
- State Bar of Texas, Litigation Section
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Bar Association
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
Honors & Awards
- Super Lawyer – 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025
- Texas Rising Star – 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
- Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum – Lifetime Member
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum – Lifetime Member
- College of the State Bar of Texas
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Education
- Trinity University, B.A. – 1999
- SMU School of Law, J.D. – 2002
Presentations & Publications
- Continuing Legal Education Presentation “Understanding Substantive Foreclosure Law”
- Continuing Legal Education Presentation “Mortgage Securitization Issues”
- Continuing Legal Education Presentation “Present State of the Foreclosure Crisis”
- Continuing Legal Education Presentation to the Dallas Bar Association Construction Law Section, “Three Payment Statutes Every Construction Lawyer Should Know”
- “What To Do When You Notice Your Client Didn’t Give Notice,” Headnotes (Dallas Bar Association), August 2021
- ACCA North Texas Lunch & Learn, "Payment Tools Every Contractor Should Have"
- “Indemnity Agreements: What You See Isn’t Always What You Get,” Construction Digital, April 2011
- “Handling Post-recession Increases in Business with a Reduced Workforce,” Construction Digital, March 2011
- “Liquidated Damages: Be Sure You Get What You Bargained For,” Construction Digital, January 2011
- “Consistent Contract Drafting Will Keep You from Fighting the Same Disputes in Both Arbitration and Litigation,” Construction Digital, December 2010
- "Three Practical Steps to Help Ensure Prompt Payment," Construction Digital, October 2010
- “Limitation of Liability Clauses," Construction Digital, September 2010
- "Legal Lessons to Learn From the BP Oil Spill," Construction Digital, August 2010
- "Home Warranties in the Post-TRCC Era," Texas Home Builder, September/October 2009
- “Builders’ Indemnity for Manufacturers’ Mistakes,” Texas Home Builder, July/August 2009
- “Employee or Contractor?," Texas Home Builder, May/June 2009
- “The Texas Residential Construction Commission: Past, Present, and Future,” Texas Home Builder, March/April 2009
- “Two Payment Statutes Every Builder Should Know,” Texas Home Builder, January/February 2009
- “Whistle-Blower Claims Can Cause Collateral Damage to Businesses,” Executive Legal Advisor, November/December 2008
- “Payment Tools Every Contractor Should Have,” Construction News, December 2008
- “Texas Construction Trust Fund Act: Avoiding the Potential Liability You Never Knew You Had,” Construction News, November 2008
- “Liquidated Damages: Be Sure You Get What You Bargained For,” Construction News, October 2008
- “Informal Fiduciary Relationships: Can Trust Heighten Duties?,” Headnotes (Dallas Bar Association), October 2008