Christina M. O’Brien

Overview

Christina “Christy” O’Brien, now a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator, serves as the firm’s Divorce, Marital and Family Law Department Chair. Her practice includes all types of family law matters, including divorce, alimony, timesharing, paternity, domestic violence injunctions, post-judgment modifications and adoption issues. In addition, she also drafts and litigates prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, making her a tremendous resource for those facing family law issues.

Family law cases often involve challenging parenting issues; perhaps health and wellness issues exist involving alienation or substance abuse. If a family business is concerned, business valuations and marital assets and income tracing would be necessary.

Christy understands that family law cases can be highly emotionally charged, especially when children are involved. Relying on her experience, Christy develops customized parenting plans and marital settlement agreements tailored to the needs of each family. She is also an appointed Guardian Ad Litem in Lee County and certified to make recommendations regarding parenting plans that would be in the child’s best interest. 

Christy has handled and tried jury and non-jury trials throughout her career in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit (Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Hendry and Glades Counties) and the Twelfth Judicial Circuit (Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto Counties) Florida. She is admitted to practice in all Florida State Courts and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Christy was recognized by Naples Illustrated magazine as a “Top Lawyers” for her work in Family Law (2020-2024). On a national scale, Best Lawyers in America^® has recognized Christy for her work in Family Law (2024-2025). 

Christy resides in Fort Myers with her husband and three sons. She enjoys running, traveling, and boating with her family in her spare time.

Articles

• House and Senate Discuss Major Changes to Florida Alimony Laws
• 5 Tips to Help You Through a Divorce
• How to Get Divorced in Florida

Professional and Civic Affiliations

Christy is the current Chair of the 20^th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee A, and she previously served on the Board of Directors for the Association of Family Law Professionals, Coalition for a Drug-Free Southwest Florida, Family Resource Center of Southwest Florida, and Lee County Legal Aid Society. 

Christy is very active in the Family Law Section of The Florida Bar and is currently a member of the Family Law Rules Committee. She previously served on the Domestic Violence, CLE, and Rules and Forms Committees. Christy is also a member of the Lee County Bar Association, the Association of Family Law Professionals, and the Lee County Association of Women Lawyers. She is also a member of the Fort Myers Track Club.

Published Opinions

• Koletzke v. Small, 900 So.2d 752 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005)
• Fischer v. Alessandrini, 907 So.2d 569 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005)
• Leach v. Kersey, 162 So.3d 1104 (Fla. 2d DCA 2015)