Patrick Lambert

Patrick H. Lambert is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, a practicing attorney, and the former Principal Chief of his Tribe. Elected in 2015 with 71% of the vote, he served during one of the most consequential periods in modern Cherokee governance before being impeached in 2017 after ordering forensic audits that exposed tribal financial irregularities. He was vindicated by the Cherokee Supreme Court in July 2025 with his civil rights restored.

Lambert holds a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an LL.M. in Gaming Law from UNLV. He spent 21 years as Executive Director of the Cherokee Tribal Gaming Commission, helping build one of the most successful tribal gaming enterprises in the United States.

He lives on the Qualla Boundary with his wife Cyndi. They have three children and nine grandchildren.