Joanne is a rising 3L student at Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law. Born and raised in Saigon, Vietnam, she immigrated to the United States alone at 18. With no family in the country and no financial safety net, she learned early how to navigate unfamiliar systems, stay disciplined under pressure, and lead through quiet consistency rather than attention.

At Chapman, Joanne earned the Commitment to Service Award and received the highest grade in her Mediation course. She is involved in the First-Generation Scholars Program, the Public Interest Law Foundation, and serves as a student leader in the Tax Law Society. She approaches her work with focus, humility, and a strong sense of responsibility.

Joanne has contributed to both plaintiff- and defense-side litigation. She clerked at Manly, Stewart & Finaldi, assisting with sensitive civil sexual abuse matters, and currently works at Wolfe & Wyman LLP on the defense side. She is slated to join Hall Griffin LLP in the fall. Her background also includes work with Christian Legal Aid of Los Angeles, where she supported clients facing housing instability, immigration barriers, and family law emergencies. She is known for breaking down complex information into actionable next steps, handling client matters with care, and staying calm in high-pressure settings.

Her service work outside of law includes preparing meals for unhoused individuals at Union Rescue Mission and volunteering at local food drives. She believes showing up consistently, especially when it’s not glamorous, is one of the clearest ways to lead.

Before law school, Joanne studied Quantitative Economics and Statistics at UC Irvine. She worked at PIMCO as an Accounts Receivable Specialist, where she created internal workflow improvements and trained management on automation tools. During college, she served as Vice President of Finance for a STEM outreach organization that paired UCI students with local high
school robotics programs.

Joanne is fluent in Vietnamese and conversant in Mandarin and French. Outside of work, she practices Muay Thai, plays piano, and enjoys making pasta from scratch. She values clarity, reliability, and doing work that speaks for itself.