Patrick R. Bergin
Managing Partner
Patrick R. Bergin
Managing Partner
Patrick Bergin is the Managing Partner of Peebles Bergin Schulte & Robinson LLP. He has over two decades of experience representing tribal governments and tribally owned enterprises in complex legal, regulatory, and governmental matters, with a particular focus on Indian gaming, economic development, and federal litigation.
Mr. Bergin advises tribal clients on all aspects of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), including Indian lands determinations, casino development, and Tribal-State compact negotiations. He regularly represents tribes before the National Indian Gaming Commission and the U.S. Department of the Interior, and has successfully litigated high-stakes disputes in federal court involving gaming eligibility, management agreements, and compact enforcement.
In addition to his gaming practice, Mr. Bergin provides strategic counsel on agency negotiations, intergovernmental agreements, and legislative and regulatory matters affecting tribal sovereignty and economic development.
Mr. Bergin joined the firm in 2005 in its Washington, D.C. office, where he represented tribal governments before Congress and federal agencies. In 2010, he relocated to the firm's Sacramento office, where he continues to serve clients nationwide.
Associations:
- California Indian Law Association
- Republican National Lawyers Association
- Federal Bar Association
Legal Authorship:
- Co-Author, Carcieri: One Year Later, Tribal Government Gaming (March 2010)
- Author, Proposition 42 (2002): Turning Highway Robbery into Highway Relief, Cal. Init. Rev., (Spring 2002).
Honors:
- The Best Lawyers in America Listing, Native American Law (2015-2021)
- Witkin Award for Academic Excellence, Election Law (2001)
Admissions
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California
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New York
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District of Columbia
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Utah
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U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second, Fourth, Eighth, Ninth and D.C. Circuits
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U.S. District Courts for the Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of California, the District of Columbia, the Northern and Western Districts of New York, and the District of Utah. Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribal Court and the Intertribal Court of Southern California
Education
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University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (J.D., 2002)
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California State University, Sacramento (B.A., 1996)
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While in law school, Mr. Bergin was Chief Editor of the California Initiative Review
Prior Legal Experience
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Partner, Anderson Tuell LLP (2007-2010)
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Associate, Monteau & Peebles LLP (2005-2007)
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Attorney, Bergin Law Firm (2003-2005)
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Associate, Anderson & Holland. PC (2002-2003)
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Legislative Consultant, California State Legislature (1997-2002)
