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.
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
• Safety Considerations in a Domestic Violence Case, Continuing Legal Education Course Taught, November 2017
• Guardian Ad Litem training seminar, February 2017
• Learn to Effectively Use a Guardian Ad Litem in your Family Law Case, Hillsborough County Bar Association Course Taught, October 2016
Pro-Bono Activities
• Pearl Society Member - Bay Area Legal Services women's giving circle
• Lawyers for Literacy, 2008 to Present
• Pro Bono volunteer, Bay Area Legal Services
• Are You Safe, Inc., Board of Directors
• The Tampa Connection, Class of 2010
• Rotary Club of Tampa, Board of Directors
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
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
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
