Professional Profile

Brendan L. Ludwick

Of Counsel

Brendan has over 20 years of experience representing Indian tribes in private practice and in-house counsel roles. He formerly worked as a partner at a nationwide law firm and he operated his own firm representing tribes in private practice for over a decade. He has served as in-house senior counsel for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, general counsel for the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians, and general counsel for his own tribe, the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma. His practice focuses on tribal sovereignty, economic development, and gaming.

Brendan advises on all aspects of tribal gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. He represents tribes in casino development, including financings, management and development agreements, fee-to-trust acquisitions, Indian lands, government relations, gaming compacts, and MOUs. He advises on new forms of gaming including online sports betting and mobile internet gaming.

He represents tribal economic development corporations including startups and joint ventures. He has advised on tribal business transactions in real estate, restaurants, software, cannabis, fuel, and federal contracting. As general counsel for the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians, he managed a $350M bond debt restructure that reduced the tribe’s debt by 70% and resulted in a total debt payoff.

Brendan is a litigator who has obtained victories for tribes in federal, state, and tribal courts. He represented the Havasupai Tribe in a successful lawsuit against Arizona State University involving unauthorized genetic research on tribal blood samples. He represented the Wilton Rancheria in federal litigation against the United States and negotiated a settlement to restore the tribe’s federal recognition. He served as lead counsel to the Muscogee Nation, Mekko George Thompson, and Hickory Ground Tribal Town in federal litigation to protect a sacred ceremonial and burial ground known as Hickory Ground, and he managed the criminal defense of Muscogee citizens who were prosecuted for protesting the excavation and secured their acquittals at trial.

Brendan lives in Manhattan Beach, California with his wife and two children. He is an enrolled member of the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma.

Education

UC Law SF (formerly Hastings College of Law), J.D., 2004
UC Berkeley, B.A., political science, 2000

Bar Admissions

State Bar of California
Oklahoma State Bar
District of Columbia Bar

Practice Concentration:

Economic Development
Gaming
Tribal Affairs
Tribal Counseling & Advocacy