Building a better life for family—and lifting others along the way

For Chris Pham ’09, “Phamily” means everything. Motivated by a deep desire to give his loved ones what he lacked growing up, he made it his mission to provide what he once longed for: an engaged father, quality time with family, and the financial security to enjoy life without constant stress. Once he reached that point for his own household, he didn’t stop—he reached back to help others rise, too.

Pham was born in Hollywood, Calif., to Vietnamese immigrant parents. His family eventually relocated to Minneapolis, where he and his sister were raised by their single mother.

“My mother raised us on her own. She worked two to three jobs at a time, six days a week, often from morning until night—just to make ends meet,” Pham recalled. “She sacrificed so much. I played a lot of sports as a kid, and while every child wants their parent at every game, I understood why she couldn’t always be there.”

His mother also instilled the importance of education. Though she never had the chance to attend college, she was determined that her children would. Thanks to her example and encouragement, Pham became the first in his family to attend college, graduate school, and law school.

He attended Ascension Catholic School in North Minneapolis, where faith, academic excellence, and social justice were core values. His principal connected him with Cookie Cart, a nonprofit bakery that teaches job and leadership skills to teens. In exchange for tutoring and mentoring youth there, Pham earned a full scholarship to DeLaSalle High School.

After high school, Pham began college at Saint John’s University as a pre-med student but eventually transferred to the University of Minnesota. There, he switched majors to sociology of law, criminology, and justice, and minored in African American studies. He went on to earn a master’s degree in criminal justice from Chapman University in California before deciding to pursue law school.

Accepted to both William Mitchell College of Law and Hamline University School of Law—two schools which combined to form Mitchell Hamline School of Law in 2015—Pham chose William Mitchell after successfully negotiating scholarship offers.

“Like a lot of Asian moms,” he laughed, “mine wanted me to be a doctor. I didn’t want to disappoint her, so I started college on the pre-med track. But during my sophomore year, I took organic chemistry and, within two weeks, realized I was forcing something that wasn’t meant for me. Once I worked up the courage to tell my mom I wasn’t going to be a doctor, her immediate response was, ‘So what are you going to do instead?’ Without thinking, I blurted out, ‘I’m going to be a lawyer.’

“Truthfully, I wasn’t sure about that either at the time. I bought myself some time by going to grad school, then took the LSAT. And to make things more interesting, I had my first two kids during my 1L and 2L years. Thankfully, I inherited my mom’s hustle mentality. It all worked out.”

But that first day of law school was jarring.

“I showed up in sweatpants, Timberland boots, and a baseball cap. People looked at me like, ‘Who is this guy?’ The campus wasn’t very diverse back then. But I knew I needed to find my people.”

Pham found his community in the Multicultural Affairs office, led by Sharon Van Leer and Andriel Dees ’95. It became a second home for students of color, and the relationships he built there carried him through law school—and still endure today.

Encouraged by mentors, Pham applied for the Minnesota State Bar Association’s 1L Clerkship Program and initially matched with Rider Bennett—until the firm unexpectedly closed its doors. Fortunately, two other firms were interested: Lindquist & Vennum (now Ballard Spahr) and Fredrikson & Byron. Pham chose Lindquist, where he practiced for six years and met a lifelong mentor and friend, Terry Fleming.

Although the two came from different backgrounds, they bonded over basketball and formed a lasting friendship. When Fleming later joined Fredrikson, he encouraged Pham to follow. Pham reminded Fredrikson of the offer they’d made him six years earlier—and this time, the timing was right.

At Fredrikson, Pham’s career took off. He became a shareholder, co-founded the firm’s sports and entertainment law group, and now chairs its inclusion and diversity committee. He also serves on the recruiting and hiring committee, playing a key role in shaping the firm’s future.

“We’ve built a firm where attorneys from underrepresented backgrounds feel like they belong,” Pham said. “Our intentional efforts show in the numbers—and in the culture. Many of us chose Fredrikson because of that, and we’ve stayed because we feel valued.”

He also serves on the Board of Trustees at Mitchell Hamline, helping identify future leaders and supporting the school financially through the Fredrikson Foundation, which backs initiatives aligned with attorneys’ passions outside the firm.

Beyond law, Pham is the founder of Elevate, a lifestyle brand and event platform launched in 2017. What started as an informal gathering space for diverse professionals in the Twin Cities has evolved into a movement—one that blends culture, fun, and connection, all in the name of lifting each other up.

“Elevate is about enhancing every part of your life—personally, professionally, financially,” he said. “Networking is a big part of that. No one succeeds alone. Start by finding common ground. Have a conversation. Then invest the time to build real relationships.”

To current students, Pham’s message is clear: take full advantage of the opportunities at Mitchell Hamline—including its powerful alumni network of 23,000+ legal professionals across the globe.

“People help people. It’s really that simple. Let’s elevate!”