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 through negotiation. 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 effort into analyzing each case, getting the right answers, and allowing 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 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. She 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, serves regularly as a family law mediator and speaks regularly on family law matters.
Ms. Derr is active in service and civic organizations including currently serving as President of The Rotary Club of Tampa, and past Chair of the Rotary Club of Tampa Foundation. She is also a Mother-Member of the South Tampa Young Men’s Service League, and a ten year volunteer with Lawyers for Literacy
Professional Licenses/Admittances:
- The Florida Bar
- Florida Board Certified Specialist in Marital and Family Law (2013-current)
- United States Supreme Court
Professional Recognition
Professional Activities
- Thirteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (2018-2022)
- Hillsborough County Bar Association (2005-current)
- Board of Directors (2019-current)
- Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (2005-current)
- 2013 President
- 2019-current Board of Directors, Past President’s Advisory Council
- Tampa Bay Academy of Collaborative Professionals
- Co-Chair 2019-2021
- Board of Directors 2016-2023
- Stann W. Givens Family Law Inn of Court
- Executive Committee (2010-current)
- 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)
- St. Pete Bar Association (member)
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
- Florida Association of Collaborative Professionals
