Duncan Hickman is an attorney and real estate professional with eight years of experience in the legal industry, specializing in corporate law, acquisitions, and land development. As Corporate Counsel for Industrial Development Advantage (IDA), Duncan plays a pivotal role in structuring transactions, ensuring regulatory compliance, and mitigating risks associated with the firm's industrial and commercial development projects. His efforts ensure that IDA's strategic investments align with both legal frameworks and business objectives, fostering sustainable growth and value creation.

As a Real Estate Project Manager, Duncan is actively engaged in all aspects of IDA’s site management, including business development efforts. He works directly with potential end-users of IDA’s sites, assessing opportunities for long-term partnerships and development strategies. Additionally, he evaluates potential vertical integration for site development, ensuring that once brownfield and Superfund sites have been remediated, they are positioned for strategic and sustainable reuse.

With a robust background in finance and real estate, Duncan has extensive experience negotiating asset acquisitions, managing contractual obligations, and overseeing due diligence for large-scale industrial and commercial developments. He has a strong focus on the acquisition and redevelopment of brownfield and Superfund sites, ensuring compliance with EPA regulations and environmental remediation standards. His expertise includes collaborating with state and federal agencies to facilitate environmental cleanup efforts, unlocking the investment potential of previously contaminated properties.

In addition to his real estate and corporate work, Duncan brings a unique litigation perspective from having represented clients on both sides of the legal spectrum. Early in his legal career, he defended contractors on behalf of insurance companies, litigating construction defect claims and other property-related disputes. Later, he transitioned to plaintiff representation, advocating for individuals in personal injury, premises liability, and other tort claims, holding defendants accountable for harms to his clients. This experience gives him a comprehensive understanding of risk, liability, and litigation strategy, which he applies to his legal and business decision-making at IDA.

Duncan earned his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with majors in Finance and Real Estate, from the Darla Moore School of Business. He also studied Accounting and Economics at New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business and further expanded his real estate expertise through coursework at NYU’s School of Professional Studies.

He is admitted to practice law in the State of South Carolina, the State of North Carolina, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.