Tribal governments and their economic enterprises face a legal landscape unlike any other. Steve Ungar has spent decades working directly for and alongside tribal attorneys to assure gaming law compliance under IGRA and state law compacts. He also specializes in resolving inter- and intra-tribal disputes concerning governance and tribal political matters.

A tribal government is not a business, and it is not a state. It is a sovereign nation, operating under its own constitution and laws, in a framework of federal statutes, state compacts, and centuries of hard-won legal precedent. Counsel who treat tribal matters like ordinary commercial work miss what matters most.

Ungar Law Office has represented tribal governments, tribal economic development entities, and tribal gaming operations for decades, across Oregon, Washington, and California.

Sovereignty Is the Starting Point

Every matter we handle for a tribal client begins with the same understanding: the client is a government, with responsibilities to its citizens and its future generations. Gaming revenue funds schools, health care, housing, and cultural preservation. Regulatory decisions carry political weight inside and outside the tribe. We practice with that whole picture in view, not just the legal question in front of us.

Deep Experience in Tribal Gaming

Gaming is where tribal sovereignty and outside regulation meet most intensely: Class II and Class III operations, tribal-state compacts, the National Indian Gaming Commission, and state governments all in the mix. Steve Ungar brings a rare combination to this work: decades of tribal representation alongside seven years as Chairman of the Oregon Lottery Commission, giving him an insider’s understanding of how state gaming regulators approach tribal operations.

What We Do

  • Representation of tribal governments in gaming and non-gaming matters
  • Gaming compliance under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and tribal-state compacts
  • National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) matters
  • Gaming ordinance drafting and amendment
  • Regulatory compliance for Class II and Class III gaming operations
  • Counsel to tribal economic development arms and enterprises, including tribal lending
  • Inter- and intra-tribal dispute resolution: governance, leadership, and tribal political matters
  • Federal Indian law issues affecting sovereignty and jurisdiction

Who We Help

Tribal governments and their councils. Tribal gaming commissions and casino operations. Tribal economic development corporations and lending enterprises, both online and brick-and-mortar. We have served tribal clients across the Pacific Northwest and California, in matters spanning litigation, regulation, and transactions.

A Relationship, Not a Transaction

Tribal representation done well is built on trust earned over years: understanding not just the law, but the community, the leadership, and the stakes. If your tribal government or enterprise is facing a legal question, a regulatory matter, or an opportunity that needs careful structuring, we welcome the conversation.