Three Seattle University School of Law alumni have been named to the Puget Sound Business Journal’s 2025 “40 under 40” list, compiled annually for the last 27 years, which highlights young leaders across the state who excel in a variety of fields, including business, law, the arts, technology, and more, while giving back to their communities.
A panel of judges selected Michelle Pham ’11, Derek Red Arrow Frank ’18, and Christopher Sanders ’13 to receive the honor.
“The entire law school community is extraordinarily proud of all that these young alumni have achieved at his point in their careers,” said Dean Anthony E. Varona. “Michelle, Derek, and Chris are true leaders in law and highly accomplished attorneys who are also committed to serving their communities.”
Pham is a shareholder at Buchalter, where she practices intellectual property, entertainment, and commercial litigation. At her previous firm, Helsell Fetterman, Pham became the first Asian American partner. She previously served as the judicial clerk for Judge Janice E. Ellis of the Snohomish County Superior Court and as a pro bono attorney for the Seattle Art Museum’s Office of General Counsel. At Seattle U Law, Pham was active in Moot Court Board, chairing the group’s national competition.
Pham has received numerous awards and recognition over the years, including being named one of the Top 40 Young Lawyers “On the Rise” by the American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division in 2021 and a “Top Woman Attorney” by SeattleMet Magazine six years in a row. She volunteers extensively with a variety of groups, including the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA), the Asian Bar Association of Washington, and the Vietnamese-American Bar Association of Washington. She currently serves as board secretary of the King County Bar Association’s Executive Committee and chair of its Member Services Committee.
“I’m honored to stand among such visionaries and excited to continue building a future where innovation and compassion thrive together,” Pham said. “This recognition is a testament to the village of mentors, colleagues, and loved ones who’ve shaped my journey.”
An enrolled member of the Nez Perce (Nimiipuu) Tribe, Red Arrow is litigation of counsel in Kilpatrick Townsend’s nationally ranked Native American Practice Group. He has expanded the firm’s legal services in this area through his representation of tribal governments, businesses, and organizations at all levels of government in a variety of matters, from treaty rights to taxation.
Giving back to his community and serving as a role model for the next generation of lawyers are important goals for Red Arrow, who is a frequent guest speaker at the law school, including during the annual Law School Admission Council (LSAC) Prelaw Undergraduate Scholars (PLUS) Program. As a law student, he was a member of the Native American Law Student Association, editor-in-chief of the American Indian Law Journal, and an extern with the Wing Luke Civil Rights Unit of the Washington State Office of the Attorney General.
Last year, Red Arrow was named to the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development's 40 Under 40 List, which recognizes emerging Native Americans from across Indian Country who have demonstrated leadership, initiative, and dedication, and made significant contributions in business and/or in their community.
To remember the true purpose of his work, Red Arrow often reflects on the quote, “Not for ourselves, but for those that come.” These words were spoken by a Nez Perce leader when the tribe negotiated its treaty with the U.S. government.
“As attorneys, it’s easy to get caught up in procedural battles, pre-trial tactics, and the endless legal back-and-forth. But at the heart of it all, the real question should always be, ‘What are we building for those who come after us?’ If we focused more on that, I believe we’d see far more meaningful and beneficial outcomes for our tribal nations,” Red Arrow said. “Our fight should be about honoring the past by ensuring that future generations inherit the strong, sustainable futures our ancestors intended, saturated with the resources and traditions that were meant to sustain them.”
Sanders represents clients in matters such as reproductive rights, gun safety, and equal access to justice as an attorney with Pacifica’s Litigation Group. Previously, he worked as a public defender for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, as well as for King and Pierce counties.
As an active member of the Black Law Student Association as a law student, he received the group’s Leadership Award. Prior to his legal education, he worked for the U.S. House of Representatives’ Oversight and Government Reform Committee, advising and assisting members of Congress and their counsel in investigations of federal and corporate waste and fraud.
Sanders serves as a commissioner of the Washington State Minority and Justice Commission and as a member and former chair of the WSBA’s Disciplinary Board. He served as president of the Loren Miller Bar Association in 2018, and in 2019 he was a fellow with the Washington Leadership Institute, a partnership between the WSBA, Seattle U Law, the University of Washington School of Law, and Gonzaga University School of Law, which helps attorneys from underrepresented backgrounds develop their careers.
“It is deeply humbling to receive this recognition from the Puget Sound Business Journal,” Sanders said. “I am proud of the work that we do at Pacifica Law Group on behalf of our clients and our communities. To me, this recognition shows that we can absolutely work with both private and public clients to keep our region moving forward in an inclusive and meaningful way.”
The 40 honorees will be celebrated at an awards banquet in late April and recognized in the Journal’s print edition.