Christine L. Derr
Christine L. Derr
Biography
Christine L. Derr is a Board Certified Expert in Marital and Family Law. While Ms. Derr is recognized as a skilled litigator, she is equally adept at fashioning creative, mutually beneficial resolutions in mediation and through her collaborative divorce practice.
While she is proud of her success in the courtroom, Ms. Derr’s experience has taught her that the most advantageous way to resolve a case is usually at the negotiation table. Ms. Derr believes that the collaborative process is suited for cases where the parties seek a confidential, less contentious solution. Regardless of whether a case is collaborative or contested, Ms. Derr puts the same efforts to analyze each case, get the right answers, and allow clients to make informed decisions. Ms. Derr believes that clients are in the best position to make decisions about their families and finances, and an attorney’s role is to use her training, analysis and experience to help navigate those decisions. Ms. Derr is also a skilled litigator, with extensive trial experience in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Polk Counties.
Christine was born in San Francisco, raised in California and has lived in Tampa since 1999. Christine received her B.A. with honors in history from the University of California at Berkeley and her J.D. from the University of Florida. In law school, Christine served as a judicial intern to the late Honorable Alexander L. Paskay. Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge Emeritus for the Middle District of Florida, and as a research assistant to Professor Barbara Bennett Woodhouse. Christine began her legal career at Harris & Hunt, P.A., formed her own firm, Derr Law Firm for nine years, and then merged her firm to form Harris, Hunt & Derr, P.A. in 2018.
Ms. Derr is active in voluntary bar associations including currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, and the Executive Council of the Stann Givens American Family Law Inn of Court. She served as Past Chair of the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, Hillsborough County Bar Association Family Law Section and the Hillsborough County Bar Association Collaborative Law Section. She has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Florida Super Lawyers®, Florida Trend’s Legal Elite, and received professionalism awards from her peers from Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (2018), and the Theodore Millison Professionalism Award (2013) by the Family Law Inn of Tampa. Ms. Derr has served as a Guardian Ad Litem on dozens of Hillsborough County family law matters. Ms. Derr completed Family Mediation Certification training, has served as a family law mediator, and speaks regularly on family law matters.
Ms. Derr is active in service and civic organizations including ten years as a volunteer with Lawyers for Literacy. She is an active Rotarian currently serving on the Board of Directors of The Rotary Club of Tampa and serving as Chair of the Rotary Club of Tampa Foundation.
Professional Licenses/Admittances:
- The Florida Bar
- Florida Board Certified Specialist in Marital and Family Law (2013)
- United States Supreme Court
Professional Recognition
- 2018 Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, Professionalism Award
- 2015 Florida Association for Women, Lawyers Leader in the Law Award
- 2010 Theodore Millison Professionalism Award
- Super Lawyers Magazine
- 2018-2020: Top 100: Florida Super Lawyers
- 2016-2020: Top 50: Women Florida Super Lawyers
- 2016-2020: Top 50: Tampa Bay Super Lawyers
- 2014-2020 Super Lawyer in Marital and Family Law
- 2009-2013 Rising Star in Marital and Family Law
- Florida Trend’s Legal Elite 2011-2020
- AVVO 10.0 Rating
- Best Lawyers in America ® 2020 Collaborative Lawyer of the Year
- Best Lawyers® 2018-2020
Professional Activities
- Thirteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (2018-current)
- Hillsborough County Bar Association (2005-current)
- Board of Directors (2019-current)
- Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (2005-current)
- 2013 President
- 2019-2021 Board of Directors, Past President’s Advisory Council
- Tampa Bay Academy of Collaborative Professionals
- Co-Chair 2019-2021
- Programs Co-Chair 2018
- Board of Directors 2016-current
- Stann W. Givens Family Law Inn of Court
- Executive Committee (2010-current)
- Programs Chair 2020-2021
- Mentoring Chair 2010-2014, 2019-2020
- Secretary 2015-2019
- Hillsborough County Bar Association Professionalism Committee
- Hillsborough County Bar Association Family Law Section (member)
- 2012 Chair
- 2009-2020 Executive Committee
- Hillsborough County Bar Association Collaborative Law Section (member)
- 2015 Chair
- Pete Bar Association (member)
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
- Florida Association of Collaborative Professionals
Education
- University of Florida College of Law, Gainesville, Florida
- J.D. - 2004
- University of California, Berkeley, California
- B.A. - 1990
- Honors: With Honors in History
Bar Admissions
- Florida, 2005
- U.S. Supreme Court
Honors
- Recognized by Florida Trend's Legal Elite, 2011-2018
- Recipient of the 2010 Theodore Millison Professionalism Award
- Recognized by Super Lawyers Magazine as a Rising Star in Family Law 2009-2013
- Top 50: 2018 Women Florida Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2018 Florida Super Lawyers
- Recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers Magazine, 2014-2018
Classes & Seminars
- Collaborative Process Risk Analysis: The Importance of Screening Your Case, Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer Magazin, 2020
- Top 20 in 2020: Tips for Family Law Practitioners, Hillsborough County Bar Association Family Law Section, 2020
- Obtaining and Evaluating Financial Information, Paralegal CLE Course, 2020
- Giving and Receiving Feedback, Fireside Chat, Tampa Bay Academy of Collaborative Professionals, co-presented with Nancy Harris, 2019
- Grey Divorce: It’s Not Black or White, Co-presented with Tina Tenret and Ellie Probasco to Florida Academy of Collaborative Professionals Annual Seminar May 2018, and the Hillsborough County Bar Association Collaborative Section
- Learn to Effectively Use a Guardian Ad Litem in your Family Law Case, Hillsborough County Bar Association Course Taught, October 2016
- Safety Considerations in a Domestic Violence Case, Continuing Legal Education Course Taught, November 2017
- Guardian Ad Litem training seminar, February 2017
- Learn to Serve as a Guardian Ad Litem, Hillsborough County Bar Association, co-presented with Judge Wesley Tibbals and Courtney Bowes, 2019; co-presented with Judge Nick Nazaretian and Brett Rahall, 2017
- Cast of Characters: Professionals in a Family Law Case, Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer Magazine, 2013
- Alimony 2010 and 2011 Revisions to the Statute and Future Trends, Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer Magazine, 2012
- Why You Should Consider Using a Financial Expert (two-part article co-authored with Kristin DiMeo, CPA, ABV) Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer Magazine, 2009
- Timing is Everything. . .Or Is It? Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer Magazine, 2006
Pro-Bono Activities
- Rotary Club of Tampa (2013-current)
- Board of Directors (2016-current)
- Rotary Club of Tampa Foundation (2019-current)
- Chair 2020-2021
- Lawyers for Literacy 2008-2010; 2012-2019
- Are You Safe, Inc. (past Board of Directors)
- Bay Area Legal Services, pro bono volunteer attorney
- Guardian Ad Litem, pro bono family law attorney
- The Tampa Connection, Class of 2010
Published Works
- Why You Should Consider Using a Final Expert, (2 part article co-authored with Kristin DiMeo, CPA), Lawyer
- Magazine, Hillsborough County Bar Association, Nov. 2009, Dec. 2009
- Timing is Everything. . .Or Is It?, Lawyer Magazine, Hillsborough County Bar Association, March 2006
- Cast of Characters: Professionals in a Family Law Case, Lawyer Magazine, Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer Magazine, 2013
- Alimony: 2010 and 2011 Revisions to the Statute and Future Trends, Lawyer Magazine, Hillsborough County Bar Association, February 2012
Certified Legal Specialties
- Board Certified Expert in Marital & Family Law, Florida Bar
Professional Associations
- The Florida Bar, Family Law Section
- Hillsborough County Bar Association, Family Law Section, President, 2011 to 2012
- Hillsborough County Bar Association, Family Law Section, Secretary, 2009 to 2010
- Family Law Inn of Court, Hillsborough County, Executive Council - Mentoring Committee, 2010 to 2011
- Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, President, 2010 to 2011
- Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, President Elect, 2009 to 2010
- Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, V.P. of Programs, 2008 to 2009
- Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, Treasurer & Stetson Law Mentor, 2007 to 2008
- Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, Director of Community Outreach & Stetson Law School Mentor, 2006 to 2007
- Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, Member of Community Outreach Committee, 2005 to 2006
- Network of Executive Women of Tampa, Florida
- Tampa Bay Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Board of Directors
- Hillsborough County Bar Association, Family Law Section, Chair, 2011-2012
- Hillsborough County Bar Association, Family Law Section, Chair, 2011-2012, Executive Council, 2009-Present
- Stann W. Givens Family Law Inn of Tampa, Executive Council, 2009-Present
- Hillsborough County Bar Association, Collaborative Law Section, Chair, 2014-2015
- Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, Co-Chair, Awards Committee, 2018
Past Positions
- Honorable Alexander L. Paskay, Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge Emeritus for the Middle District of Florida, Judicial intern
- Professor Barbara Bennett Woodhouse, Research assistant
- Harris & Hunt, P.A., Associate
