Brian Gunn

Brian Gunn is a principal in the Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville Indian Tribal Governments group.

A member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Brian works on a wide variety of issues for tribal clients in the U.S. Congress and federal agencies.

Brian specializes in matters related to the federal budget and appropriations, natural resources, federal lands and federal land transfers, taxation, energy development, and Indian health. Brian was the lead lobbyist for the Indian Trust Asset Reform Act (Pub. L. 114-178), which President Barack Obama signed into law on June 22, 2016, and other tribal standalone bills and tribal provisions included in larger bills that have been enacted since.

In addition to his government relations capabilities, he has served as lead counsel in several tribal trust mismanagement lawsuits in the federal courts, including Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation v. Salazar (D.D.C. 2005), which resulted in a $193 million settlement in the Tribe's favor. Brian is currently serving as of counsel in Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation v. United States (No. 21-6144, May 30, 2024), a tribal timber and wildfire breach of trust case currently pending in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

Brian was named to the National Law Journal’s "Minority 40 Under 40" in 2011 and the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development's "Native American 40 Under 40" in 2012. He is also recognized in Chambers USA for Native American Law-Nationwide. Brian was formerly a partner at Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP. He received his law degree from the University of Washington and a BA from Washington State University