91视频

Law school: University of Missouri 鈥� Kansas City

Career highlight: Since 2006, Ungar has served as chairman of the Oregon State Lottery Commission, being appointed to the post first by Gov. Ted Kulongoski and then by Gov. John Kitzhaber.

Noteworthy: Ungar is involved in Stanford University鈥檚 summer jazz workshop, where children and adults learn about the history, elements and mechanics of jazz music.

After more than 30 years in practice, Steven Ungar could be content to rest on his reputation as one of the city鈥檚 leading white-collar criminal defense attorneys. Best Lawyers in America has recognized him for the last seven years running, and he was an Oregon Super Lawyer in white-collar criminal defense from 2006-11.

Ungar isn鈥檛 content to coast on his past accomplishments, however. He volunteers his time and expertise to chair the Oregon State Lottery Commission and serves on a Criminal Justice Act panel, providing legal representation for federal prisoners who can鈥檛 afford lawyers.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an excellent tool for staying in the swim of federal trial work and it鈥檚 also rewarding to work with people, many of whom were formerly wealthy and others who have always been indigent, Ungar said. 鈥淭heir legal needs are great and these are always cases where great liberty is at risk.鈥�

A 1979 graduate of the University of Missouri鈥檚 law school, Ungar has spent the bulk of his career specializing in governmental investigations, corporate governance, subpoena response, professional licensing, government affairs, state and federal regulatory compliance, and crisis management.聽 This includes helping clients who are facing allegations of securities fraud, Ponzi-scheme claims, insider trading, tax evasion, bankruptcy fraud, health-care fraud, embezzlement, intellectual property violations, computer-related offenses, obstruction of justice and perjury.

With decades of experience dealing with governmental agencies and regulations, Ungar in 2007 began to focus his practice on issues facing Native American tribes in Oregon and Washington.

His role as special counsel to tribal governments involves Ungar in regulatory, tax, gaming, jurisdiction and economic development matters. For example, for one client, a tribe with 300 members that earns $100 million in annual revenue, Ungar helps with tax, business and regulatory issues along with guidance on how to operate legally and efficiently as a tribal government.

鈥淧articipating in those efforts has been enormously challenging but also very rewarding,鈥� Ungar said. 鈥淚t has also provided a great opportunity to work with litigators and lawyers of different disciplines within my firm whose specialties are helpful to tribal governments.鈥�