ChristineL.
SwanickShe / Her / Hers

Partner•Leader, Tribal and Native American Law Industry Team
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Christine Swanick

Overview

Christine Swanick has advised clients on all aspects of federal Indian and tribal law matters for over 30 years, with a particular focus on tribal-related financing projects, including restructuring of tribal debt. She is leader of the firm’s Native American Law team.

Recognized by Chambers USA with a band 1 nationwide ranking for Native American law: finance, Christine is a premier practitioner representing tribes, tribal entities, financial institutions and entities doing business with tribes in complex contractual, gaming, regulatory and economic development matters.

Christine has worked on over 175 Native American and gaming credit transactions involving over 50 different Native American tribes. Her work puts her in regular contact with federal decision-makers, including attorneys at the National Indian Gaming Commission.

Starting her tribal law career working as an in-house tribal attorney for three different federally recognized tribal nations, Christine developed gaming ordinances and regulations to start tribal gaming operations, advised tribal governments on land status and tribal trust matters, formed tribal instrumentalities and agencies and provided a broad range of legal advice and services to her tribal clients.

Today, Christine advises on the financing of casino resorts as well as non-gaming uses of tribal lands—such as hotels owned by third parties, commercial business space, data centers, shopping malls, and industrial and energy projects. She also advises on off-reservation projects such as tribal investments in residential and commercial real estate and, for large financial institutions, managing risk with respect to investments with tribes including in cannabis-related businesses.

Christine brings a broad background in commercial financing and other credit transactions to the work she does for tribes and large financial institutions, including experience with commercial loans, letter of credit facilities, syndicated credit facilities and note and bond financings.

In her free time, Christine enjoys the beach and running and has competed in seven Brooklyn half marathons.

Experience
  • Represented Administrative Agent and Lead Arranger in $310 million syndicated financing to a tribal gaming authority in the Pacific Northwest
  • Represented Administrative Agent and Lead Arranger in $250 million syndicated financing to a tribal gaming authority in the Southeast
  • Represented tribal borrower in $500 million syndicated financing to refinance existing debt
  • Advised utility company regarding power plant located on Indian lands
  • Acted as Indian law counsel to Administrative Agent, Lead Arranger and Underwriter in $230 million term loan B and $260 million bond financing to tribal authority in California
  • Acted as Indian law counsel to Administrative Agent, Lead Arrangers and Underwriter in $400 million term loan B and $450 million bond financing for greenfield tribal gaming project in California
  • Represented tribal borrower in $160 million secured syndicated financing for both tax-exempt and gaming related purposes
  • Represented tribal borrower in $600 million secured syndicated financing related to gaming operations
  • Represented Administrative Agent in $410 million secured syndicated financing to a tribal gaming authority
  • Represented Administrative Agent in $290 million secured syndicated financing to a tribal gaming enterprise
  • Represented Agent, as special counsel, in restructure of $700 million secured syndicated financing
  • Represented lenders in over 50 commercial bank financings, including single bank, club deals and syndicated financings
  • Represented borrower in $950 million secured syndicated financing of casino expansion project
  • Represented underwriters in numerous bond financings and high-yield debt offerings
  • Represented creditors and borrowers in restructuring debt obligations
Credentials
Education

J.D., University of Arizona, 1995, Arizona Law Review

B.A., Boston College, 1990, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Admissions

Arizona

California

District of Columbia

New York

United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

United States District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern Districts of California

Honors

Named a "Leading Lawyer" in the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, 2019

Named a “2019 Notable Women in Law,” Crain’s New York Business

Listed in Best Lawyers in America, 2012-2026

Ranked "Leading Individual" in Native American Law by Chambers USA, 2008-2025

Ranked "Up-and-Coming Individual" in Native American Law by Leading Lawyer, Chambers USA, 2006, 2007

Elected as a Fellow of the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers

Chambers USA 2025_ Christine Swanick
Christine Swanick - Chambers 2024
Christine Swanick - Chambers USA 2023
Memberships

Native American Editorial Advisory Board, Law360, 2018

Lecturer in Law for NALSA section Legal Practice Workshop, Adjunct Faculty Member, Columbia Law School, 2014-2017

Thought Leadership
  • Presenter, “Hot Topics in Native American Financing 2014,” Lorman Education Services Webinar, November 20, 2014
  • Panelist, "Best Practices for Your Tribe's Debt Management," The Native American Finance Officers Association’s (NAFOA) 32nd Annual Conference, April 14, 2014
  • Panelist, "Native American Gaming Panel," Bank of America Merrill Lynch Leveraged Finance Conference, December 3, 2013
  • Moderator, "Integrating Community Values in Your Tribal Investments," The Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA), September 9, 2013
  • Panelist, "You Might Need Permission and To Re-Fi or Not to Re-Fi," Develop Native America (DNA) Conference, April 30-May 1, 2013
  • Panelist, "The March Toward Bank Refi's 2013," The Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA), April 19, 2013
  • Presenter, "Investing in Indian Country 101 and Tribal Gaming Update," Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton CLE, March 20, 2013
  • Presenter, "Tribal Trust Land Attributes & Acquisitions," Lorman Seminars CLE, December 17, 2012
  • Presenter, "Native America Gaming Panel," Bank of America Merrill Lynch Leveraged Finance Conference, December 5, 2012
  • Panelist, The National Native American Law Students Association (NALSA) Career Panel at the Federal Bar Association's 37th Annual Indian Law Conference, April 19, 2012
  • Panelist, "Project Feasibility," Develop Native America (DNA) Conference, April 11, 2012
  • Panelist, "Lowering the Cost of Capital," The Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA) Conference for Indian Country, March 20, 2012
  • Co-Author and Co-Presenter, "Current Issues in Tribal Financing," Lorman Seminars CLE, November 2011
  • Panelist, "Distressed Credits and Debt Management," Native American Finance Officer's Association Conference, October 2011
  • "The New Deal: Understanding & Managing Your Tribal Economics in a Difficult Economy," Global Gaming Expo Webinar, September 2010
  • "Is Your Per Capita Sustainable?” National Indian Gaming Association Conference, April 2010
  • "From Dead Ends to Disasters: Native American Finance at a Crossroads," Native American Finance Officer’s Association Conference, March 2010
  • "Issues Related to Native American Debt Structuring," FBR Capital Markets Telephone Conference, March 2010
  • Panelist, "Unchartered Territory, Issues in Native American Debt Restructuring," Banc of America Securities, May 2009
  • Panelist, "Coping with a Brave New World," Native American Officer's Association Conference, February 2009
  • Moderator, "Sovereignty, Governance, and the Law," Native American Finance Officers Association Conference, New Jersey, September 2007
  • Panelist, "Executive Forum: Tribal Sovereign Immunity," Native Nations Institute, May 2007
  • "Financing in a High Yield Market," IMN Native American Finance Conference, February 2007
  • "IRS Authorizes Optional TEDB Volume Cap Extensions, Requests Comments on Reallocation of Volume Cap," November 2, 2011
  • Conference on Consumer Finance Law Quarterly Report, "Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Lake of the Torches Economic Development Corp," Spring 2011