About Drew
Drew Duncan earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1999 and completed his law degree at the University of South Dakota School of Law in 2002. His path into the law moved quickly from classroom to courthouse. He began his professional life by clerking for the Fifth Circuit Judges of the South Dakota Unified Judicial System in 2002, a role that exposed him to the mechanics of judicial decisionmaking and case management early in his career.
After his clerkship, Duncan entered private practice. In 2003 he worked at Zimmer, Duncan and Cole, where he spent time learning the routines of a law office and representing clients in day-to-day matters. Those formative years in a smaller firm setting gave him hands-on experience in case preparation, client counseling and court appearances.
Over time Duncan shifted into a different practice environment. He is now affiliated with Northern Plains Justice, LLP. His resume spans both judicial service and private practice, and those strands inform how he approaches work today. Colleagues describe him as methodical and steady. He is the sort of lawyer who draws on early courtroom exposure and later firm experience when building arguments and advising clients.
Outside the office he has taken on a range of leadership roles in his community and professional circles. He serves on the board of the ParMar Valley Country Club and sits on the executive board of the South Dakota Republican Party. He is also on the board of the Young Lawyers Section of the South Dakota Bar Association. Those roles keep him involved locally and connected to a broader network of legal and civic activity.
Duncan is admitted to practice in South Dakota and before the Fifth Circuit. His career path—law school, judicial clerkship, private practice and now firm affiliation—has given him familiarity with both trial-level and appellate processes in the state. He draws on that practical experience when preparing matters for court or advising clients about procedural steps and timelines.
He maintains an active practice at Northern Plains Justice, LLP and handles matters that arise in South Dakota and before the Fifth Circuit. His current practice concentrates on legal work tied to those jurisdictions.
