Duncan Smith engages primarily in a legislative and administrative government relations practice (www.smithadvocacygroup.com) representing clients with business, legislative, and regulatory challenges and opportunities in connection with a wide range of issues, including transportation, infrastructure, and public facilities; maritime; environment; defense and homeland security; federal budgetary matters; economic and natural resources development; government contracting; public finance; non-profits; and election, lobbying, and ethics compliance. He has decades of experience in the federal public arena and an extensive background in the recreational vessel industy.
Specifically, he has implemented industry strategies consistently in contentious and political environments resulting in favorable outcomes through the passage of legislation or granting of regulatory or administrative relief. A significant successful accomplishment for the recreational marine industry includes a multi-year effort to provide legislative relief to recreational boating industry on workers’ compensation issue overcoming objections from organized labor and elected officials and follow on efforts to clarify the implementation of that law in regulations. He has also provided advice and government relations representation on a diverse and wide range of issues important to the marine industry, such as cruising license extension, reflagging of yachts to US flag, small shipyard grants, dredging, recognition of standard occupational classifications, visa processing, and intermodal conflicts with bridge operations.
Previously, Mr. Smith was a staff counsel to the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee and was a U.S. delegation congressional advisor to the International Maritime Organization. Thereafter for over two decades, he was a law partner and government relations principal, respectively, with Blank Rome LLP and Blank Rome Government Relations LLC. For 2011 and 2012, he was selected as a Leader in the Field of Transportation: Shipping: Regulatory (National) by Chambers. In 2013, Mr. Smith established the government relations firm of Smith Advocacy Group.
Mr. Smith is also a retired Coast Guard Reserve Rear Admiral retiring after 36 years of both active and reserve service. Mr. Smith holds a Juris Doctor degree from the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, and a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from Drew University, Madison, NJ, where he was inducted as a Member, Omicron Delta Epsilon (International Economics Honor Society). He serves as Vice Chair and on the National Executive Board of the Coast Guard Foundation, and a director and prior secretary for the North American Marine Environment Protection Association.
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