Wesley Duke graduated from Paintsville High School in 1989. After graduation he attended Georgetown College and graduated in 1993. Upon graduation from Georgetown he attended the University of Kentucky and completed a Masters degree in Rehabilitation Counseling in 1995. Duke attended law school at Valparaiso University and graduated in 1999.
From 2000-2007 he was in in private practice in Paintsville, Kentucky. During this period of time he served 4 years as Paintsville City Attorney.
In 2007 he took a position as an attorney with the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet representing the Kentucky Department of Corrections and remained in this position until 2013 when he joined the Office of the Attorney General. While at the Attorney General’s office he served as Executive Advisor to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Asst. Director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and finally Acting Director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
During his time at the Attorney General’s office he represented the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the criminal prosecution of health care fraud cases and abuse and neglect of the elderly. Additionally he represented the Commonwealth in complex civil litigation including Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Purdue Pharma and Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Fresenius.
During his 16 years in Frankfort he has represented the Commonwealth of Kentucky at all levels of State and Federal Courts including the Supreme Court of the United States.
In 2019 he was appointed as General Counsel of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services by Governor Andy Beshear.