Christine L. Swanick

Christine Swanick is a partner in the Finance and Bankruptcy practice group in the firm's New York office.

Areas of Practice

Christine Swanick has practiced federal Indian law for 23 years. Christine advises clients in all aspects of federal Indian law and tribal law matters and represents tribes and entities doing business with tribes in complex contractual, gaming, regulatory and economic development matters. Christine began her Indian law career working as an in-house tribal attorney for three different federally recognized Indian tribes where she developed gaming ordinances and regulations necessary for start-up tribal gaming operations, advised tribal governments on Indian land status and matters, formed tribal instrumentalities and agencies, drafted employee handbooks and provided a broad range of legal advice and services to her tribal clients. In more recent years, Christine has negotiated on behalf of tribes and gaming developers gaming consulting and management agreements, advised on tribal energy matters and specialized in financing projects on tribal lands. Christine is a nationally recognized expert in tribal lending and restructuring transactions of all kinds and has worked on over 100 Native American and gaming credit transactions involving over 50 different Native American tribes.

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

Honors

Listed in Best Lawyers in America, 2012-2019

Ranked "Leading Individual" in Native American Law by Chambers USA, 2008-2018

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

Articles

• "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

Finance & Bankruptcy Law Blog Posts

• "Tribal Corporate Bankruptcy Petition Raises Issues of First Impression for Bankruptcy Court," March 7, 2013

Media Mentions

Speaking Engagements

• 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 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

Events

Memberships

Native American Editorial Advisory Board, Law360, 2018

Lecturer in Law for NALSA section Legal Practice Workshop, Adjunct Faculty Member, Columbia Law School, 2014-2018

Digital Media