Chris earned his law degree at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Thomas Jefferson Law Review and graduated first in his class. As a student, he completed internships with the California Court of Appeal, the United States District Court, the San Diego Alternate Public Defender, and Federal Defenders of San Diego.

After graduation, Chris was a post-bar clerk with the San Diego Public Defender, then spent a year as a contract attorney, drafting appeals, motions, and petitions for other criminal defense practitioners. He opened his own practice in 2007.