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.
Protecting and advancing tribal sovereignty is central to Mr. Bergin's practice. He advises tribal governments on exercising their authority over tribal lands, governmental institutions, and economic enterprises, and represents tribes in disputes involving federal agency action and state efforts to extend their authority into tribal affairs. His work includes defending tribal sovereign immunity, protecting tribal self-government, enforcing the procedural rights of tribes in federal decision-making, and holding states accountable for their obligation to negotiate gaming compacts in good faith. He combines litigation and strategic counsel to help tribes and tribal enterprises translate their sovereign authority into effective governance and lasting economic opportunity.
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, Lawyer of the Year, Native American Law - Sacramento Region (2027)
- The Best Lawyers in America, Native American Law (2015-2021, 2027)
- The Best Lawyers in America, Gaming Law (2027)
- 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)
