Legal Advocates For You And Your Family
Christine G. Albano
Location:
Plano, TX
Phone:
Fax:
972-668-9705
Email:
Christine G. Albano
Rated by Super Lawyers
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Christy Albano is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She has also been selected for inclusion in the Texas Super Lawyers Listings since 2011. She started her practice with a family law firm in Dallas, then spent several years as a staff attorney with Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas where she fought for the rights of victims, children and the elderly affected by domestic violence in the areas of protective orders, custody, divorce, child support, spousal support and property division. She carried this experience to her solo practice in Collin County where she ensures protection of the clients rights while compassionately assisting them through what is often a difficult emotional process.
She has earned the respect of her peers across the state and throughout the country. In 2006 through 2010 she was named a Texas Rising Star by the Texas Super Lawyer's publication of the Texas Monthly magazine, she was the 2005-06 Outstanding Director of the Year by the Texas Young Lawyer's Association, and she was awarded the Atticus Finch Award in 2006 by Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas. In 2001-2002 she was awarded the Outstanding Young Lawyer of Collin County Award from the Collin County Young Lawyer's Association and she was twice awarded the TYLA President's Award of Merit (2003-2004 and 2004-2005). She also continues to be the only law student whose article has been published in the Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. This article, published in 1997 regarding arbitration and child custody, was cited in July 2009 by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a portion of "scholarly writing on the subject" in Fawzy v. Fawzy, 2009-NJ-0702.293.
In addition to being an energetic member of many local, state and national bar associations, she is currently on the Nominating Committee for the Texas Bar Foundation, the Local Bar Services Committee of the State Bar of Texas, the Council of the American Bar Association General Practice & Solo Division, the Family Matters Committee for the American Bar Association Family Law Section, and the Board of Directors of the Collin County Bench Bar Foundation. She is a Past President of the Collin County Young Lawyer's Association, Past Chair of the District 1 Nominating Committee for the Texas Bar Foundation and Past Secretary of the Texas Young Lawyer's Association. Through her past work as co-chair for 4 years of the TYLA Family Law & Children's Rights committee, she was instrumental in the creation of the "Pro Se Divorce Handbook", the "What to Expect in Texas Family Law Court" handbook and the video "Kids In the Crossfire: Helping Parents Understand the Impact of Divorce." She was also executive committee advisor to the talented TYLA committee that created the Emmy Award Winning video and curriculum "They Had a Dream Too", an educational program designed to educate high school students about the role of students in the Civil Rights Movement and to encourage students to make a difference in their world.
Christy Albano obtained a B.A. from Southern Methodist University in 1993 and a J.D. from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, in 1996.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Attorneys Serving the Community, Member since 2003
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Member since 1998
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, President, 2006 – 2007
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, President-Elect, 2005 – 2006
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Treasurer, 2002 – 2003
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Secretary, 2001 – 2002
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Board Member, 2000 – 2001
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Email Chair, 2003 – 2005
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Liaison to Collin County Bar Association, 2004 – 2005
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Chair, Call to Protect Project, 2002 – 2003
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Membership Committee, 2002 – 2003
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, 2001, Liaison to CCBA for Joint Holiday Party
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, 2001, CLE Committee
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Newsletter Committee, 2000 – 2003
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Judicial Reception Committee, 2001 – 2003
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, 2002, Chair, Pro Bono Clinic
- Collin County Bar Association, Member since 1998
- Collin County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1999 – Present
- Collin County Bar Association, Estate Law Section, 2003 – 2004
- Liaison to Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, 2003 – 2005
- Collin County Bar Association, Social Chair, 1999 – 2000
- Collin County Bar Association, 2004, Social Chair
- Collin County Bar Association, Social Committee, 1998 – 2001
- Collin County Bar Association, 1999, Silent Auction Chair
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation, Fellow since 2000
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation, Treasurer, 2002 – 2004
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation, Board of Trustees, 2002 – 2006
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation, Board of Directors, 2001 – 2002
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation, Board of Directors, 2009 – 2011
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation, Bench Bar Players, 2000 – Present
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation, Conference Planning Committee, 2000 – Present
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation, Chair, 2013-2014
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation, Chair-Elect, 2012-2013
- Dallas Association of Young Lawyer’s Foundation, Fellow, 2006 – Present
- Plano Bar Association, Member since 1998
- Frisco Bar Association, Member since 2002
- Grayson County Bar Association, Member, 2002 – 2005
- State Bar of Texas, Member since 1997
- State Bar of Texas, Access to Justice Delegate to the 2001 and 2002 Bar Leaders Conference, 2001 – Present
- State Bar of Texas, College of the State Bar of Texas, 2004 – Present
- State Bar of Texas, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm, 2003 – Present
- State Bar of Texas, Family Law Section, 1997 – Present
- State Bar of Texas, Women and the Law Section, 1997 – Present
- State Bar of Texas, Texas Bar Foundation, 2004 – Present
- State Bar of Texas, Local Bar Services Committee, 2009 – 2014
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Member, 1997 – 2008
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Secretary, 2006 – 2007
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Director, 2004 – 2006
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Executive Committee Advisor, 2006 – 2007
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Law Focused Education and They Had A Dream Too Committees
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, At Large Small City Minority Director (Board of Directors), 2002 – 2004
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Co-Chair, Family Law & Children’s Rights Committee, 2002 – 2006
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Member, Long Range Planning Committee, 2005 – 2006
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Chair, Public Service Subcommittee, 2005 – 2006
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Vice Chair, Minority Committee, 2002 – 2004
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Vice Chair, Leadership TYLA, 2002 – 2003
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Vice Chair Low Income Texans, 2003 – 2006
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Vice Chair Senior Citizens Outreach Committee, 2004 – 2005
- American Bar Association, Member since 1993
- American Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1996 – Present
- American Bar Association, Family Law Section, Membership Committee
- American Bar Association, Solo, Small Firm & General Practice Division, Membership Committee, 2003 – Present
- American Bar Association, Solo, Small Firm & General Practice Division, Council, 2009 – 2013
- American Bar Association, Young Lawyer’s Division, 1996 – 2008
- American Bar Association, Law Student Division, 1993 – 1996
- American Bar Association, LSD Liaison to Commission on Homelessness and Poverty, 1995 – 1996
- American Bar Foundation, Fellow since 2005
- Dallas Bar Association, Member, 1997 – 1999
- Dallas Young Lawyer’s Association, Member, 1997 – 1999
- Dallas Women Lawyer’s Association, Member, 1997 – 2000
- Dallas Women Lawyer’s Association, Member, 2006 – Present
- Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Member, 1993 – 1996
- Kaufman Bar Association, Member, 1998 – 2001
- Rockwall Bar Association, Member, 1998 – 2001
Areas Of Practice
- Child Support
- Custody & Visitation
- Divorce
- Family Law
Certified Legal Specialties
Board Certified in Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2011
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 1997
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2010
Education
- University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, Kansas City, Missouri
- J.D. - 05/1996
- Honors: Deans List, Fall 1993, Spring 1994, Fall 1995
- Honors: Phi Delta Phi, Magister (President) 1995-1996, Historian, 1994-1995
- Honors: ABA, Law Student Division, Liaison to the Commission on Homelessness and Poverty, 1995-1996
- Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas
- B.A. - 05/1993
- Honors: Chi Omega Sorority
- Honors: SMU Marching Band
- Major: Music, Piano Performance
- Minor: Sociology
Published Works
- Urban Lawyer Journal, Case Digest Published, Vol. 26, No. 2, February 4, 1994
- Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Comment, “Binding Arbitration, A Proper Forum for Child Custody?” Vol. 14, Issue No. 2, 1997. Note: “The Intersection of Sharia and Family Law: A Policy and Case Summary” Vol. 30, Issue No. 1, 2017
- Texas Young Lawyers Association Publications, Co-Author, “Pro Se Divorce Handbook”, Booklet, 2003, Lead Co-Author, “What to Expect in Texas Family Law Court”, Booklet, 2005, Lead Co-Author and Lead Co-Producer, “Kids in the Crossfire, Helping Parents Understand the Impact of Divorce, 20 minute video and brochure, 2006, Executive Committee Advisor to the Emmy Award Winning, “They Had a Dream Too: Student Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement,” Video and School Curriculum, 2006
- The Intersection of Sharia and Family Law; A Policy and Case Summary, Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Volume 20, Number 1, 2017
- Sharia and Family Law, Public Policy and Recent Cases, ABA Family Advocate, Volume 42, No. 2, 2019
Representative Cases
- Cited in Fawzy v. Fawzy, 2009-NJ-0702.293
Honors and Awards
- Best Lawyers in America, Practice of Family Law, 2014 - 2019
- Super Lawyers, 2015
- Texas Super Lawyer, 2011 - 2014
- Named a Texas Rising Star by the Texas Super Lawyer's Publication of the Texas Monthly Magazine, 2006 - 2010
- Outstanding Director of the Year, Texas Young Lawyer's Association, 2005 - 2006
- Awarded the Atticus Finch Award, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, 2006
- Awarded the Outstanding Young Lawyer, Collin County Award from the Collin County Young Lawyer's Association, 2001 - 2002
- Awarded the TYLA President's Award of Merit, 2003 - 2005
- Best Lawyers in Plano, Practice of Family Law, 2017
- Texas Super Lawyer, Family Law, Texas Monthly, 2011 - 2019
- Texas Super Lawyer, Rising Star, Family Law, Texas Monthly, 2006 - 2010
- Top 100 Lawyers, The National Advocates, Matrimonial and Family Law, 2017
- Judge Sam Williams Award, 2015
- 1st Place Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, 2013
- 2nd Place Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, 2011
- Atticus Finch Award, 2006
- Outstanding Director of the Year, 2005 - 2006
- Presidential Award of Merit for Exemplary Service to the Bar & Public, Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, 2003 - 2005
- Outstanding Young Lawyer of Collin County, Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, 2001 - 2002
- Service Star Award, Collin County Bar Association, 1998 - 2001
- Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2011
- Cited in Fawzy v. Fawzy, NJ-0702.293, 2009
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Fellow, 2012 - Present
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Historical Committee 2014-2016: Chair 2015-17
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Membership Committee 2013-2014
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Spousal Maintenance Committee 2013-2014
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Board of the AAML Foundation 2016-17
- Collin County Collaborative Law Alliance, Member, 2010 - Present
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Member, 1998 to 2008
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Immediate Past President and Historian, 2007 to 2008
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, President, 2006 to 2007
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, President-Elect, 2005 to 2006
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Treasurer, 2002 to 2003
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Secretary, 2001 to 2002
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Board Member, 2000 to 2001
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Email Chair, 2003 to 2005
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Liaison to Collin County Bar Association, 2004 to 2005
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Chair of Call to Protect Project, 2002 to 2003
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Membership Committee, 2002 to 2003
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, CCYLA Liaison to CCBA for Joint Holiday Party, 2001 to 2001
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, CLE Committee, 2001 to 2001
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Newsletter Committee, 2000 to 2003
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Judicial Reception Committee 2001-2003, 2001 to 2003
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Chair of Pro Bono Clinic, 2002 to 2002
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Chair They Had a Dream Too Committee, 2007 to 2008
- Collin County Bar Association, Member, 1998 - Present
- Liaison to Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association 2003-2005
- Collin County Bar Association, Social Chair, 1999, 2000, 2004
- Curt B. Henderson American Inns of Court, Member since 2011, Member of Inaugural Class, 2011, Barrister 2011-2014, Master 2014 - Present
- Denton Bar Association Member since 2008
- Plano Bar Association, Member since 1998
- Frisco Bar Association, Member since 2002
- Grayson County Bar Association, Member 2002-2006
- State Bar of Texas, Member since 1997, Access to Justice Delegate to the 2001 and 2002 Bar Leaders Conference, College of the State Bar of Texas 2004-Present, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm, 2003 - Present, Family Law Section, 1997- Present, Family Law Foundation, 2005 – Present, Local Bar Services Committee 2009-2015, Women and the Law Section, 1997-Present
- Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, since 2011
- Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow 2004-Present, District 1 Nominations Chair 2007-2008, Co-Chair 2012-2016, District 1 Nominations Committee 2009 - 2012
- Texas Women Lawyers Association, Member, 2015 to Present
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Member 1997-2007, Outstanding Young Lawyer Committee 2009-2010, Liberty Bell and Outstanding Mentor Committee 2008-2009, Liberty Bell and Outstanding Mentor Committee 2007-2008, Secretary 2006-2007, Director 2004-2006, At Large Small City Minority Director (Board of Directors) 2002-2004, Executive Committee Advisor to Law Focused Education Committee 2006 -2007
- Co-Chair, Family Law & Children’s Rights Committee 2002-2006, Member, Long Range Planning Committee 2005-2006, Chair, Public Service Subcommittee 2005-2006, Vice Chair, Minority Committee 2002-2004, Vice Chair, Leadership TYLA 2002-2003, Vice Chair Low Income Texans 2003-2004, 2005-2006, Vice Chair Senior Citizens Outreach Committee 2004-2005
- American Bar Association, Member since 1993, Family Law Section 1996-Present, Family Law Domestic Violence Committee 2006 – Present, Family Law Domestic Violence Committee 2006 – Present, Family Matters Symposium Committee 2008 – 2011, Family Matters Symposium Committee 2008 – 2011
- American Bar Association, Family Law Section, Annual Meeting Host Committee, Executive Member 2010-11, Member Benefit Development Committee, Executive Member 2010-Present, Midyear Host Committee 2012-13, Nominating Committee 2011-2012, Publications Board 2011 - 2014
- American Bar Association, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division 2003 – Present, GP/Solo Division 3 Director 2015-2016, GP/Solo Division 2 Director 2014-2015, GP/Solo Leadership Committee Co-Chair 2013-2016, GP/Solo Long Range Planning Committee 2012-2016, GP/Solo Council 2009 – 2014
- American Bar Association, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division, GP/Solo Membership Committee 2009 – Present, Vice-Chair 2016-17, GP/Solo National Solo Small Firm Conference Committee 2013-2015, GP/Solo Long Range Planning Committee 2013-2017, GP/Solo Young Lawyer Fellowship Program, Mentor 2013-2014, GP/Solo Division Young Lawyer Fellow 2007- 2008
- American Bar Association, Young Lawyer’s Division 1996 - 2008, YLD Family Law Committee 2007 – 2008, YLD Foundation Fellow 2008 - Present
- American Bar Association, Law Student Division 1993-1996, LSD Liaison to Commission on Homelessness and Poverty, 1995-1996
- American Bar Foundation, Fellow since 2005
- Dallas Bar Association, Member 1997-1999, 2012 – Present
- Dallas Bar Association, Bar None Show Cast Member 2010-Present, Family Law Section
- Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, Member 1997-1999
- Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Foundation, Fellow 2007 - Present
- Dallas Women Lawyer’s Association, Member 1997-2000, 2004-Present
- Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Member 1993-1996
- Kaufman Bar Association, Member 1998-2001
- Rockwall Bar Association, Member 1998-2001
- University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law Foundation Board, Director 2014-2016
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Fundraising and Publicity Committee for the AAML Foundation, 2019 to 2019
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Board of the Journal of the AAML, 2015 to 2018
- Attorneys Serving the Community, Member, 2003 to Present
- Collin County Collaborative Law Alliance, President, 2012 to 2013
- Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, Alum Member, 2009 to Present
- Collin County Bar Association, Judicial Liaison Committee, 2017 to 2018
- Collin County Bar Association, Liaison to Collin County Young Lawyer’s Association, 2003 to 2005
- Collin County Bar Association, Social Committee, 1998 to 2001
- Collin County Bar Association, Silent Auction Chair, 1999 to 1999
- Collin County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1999 to Present
- Collin County Bar Association, Vice President, 2005 to 2006
- Collin County Bar Association, Estate Law Section, 2003 to 2004
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation, Fellow since 2000
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation, Special Advisor to the Chair 2015-2016, Immediate Past Chair 2014-2015, Chair 2013-2014
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation, Treasurer 2002-2004, Board of Trustees 2002 - 2007, Board of Directors 2001-2002, 2009-2013, Bench Bar Conference, Social Chair, 2004-2005
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation, Attendee and committee member 1999-Present, Entertainment and games committee 1999-2002, Bench Bar Players 2000, Conference Planning Committee 2000-Present, Assisted Conference Chair with Coordination of Conference 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Family Law & Children’s Rights Committee, Co-Chair, 2002 to 2006
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Long Range Planning Committee, Member, 2005 to 2006
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Public Service Subcommittee, Chair, 2005 to 2006
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Minority Committee, Vice Chair, 2002 to 2004
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Leadership TYLA, Vice Chair, 2002 to 2003
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Low Income Texans, Vice Chair, 2003 to 2006
- Texas Young Lawyer’s Association, Senior Citizens Outreach Committee, Vice Chair, 2004 to 2005
- American Bar Association, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division, GP/Solo Division 3 Director, 2015-2016
- American Bar Association, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division, GP/Solo Division 2 Director, 2014-2015
- American Bar Association,General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division, GP/Solo Leadership Committee Co-Chair, 2013-2016
- American Bar Association, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division, GP/Solo Long Range Planning Committee, 2012-2016
- American Bar Association, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division, GP/Solo Council, 2009 – 2014
- American Bar Association, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division, GP/Solo Membership Committee, 2009 – Present, Vice-Chair, 2016-17, Chair, 2017-18
- American Bar Association, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division, GP/Solo Membership Benefits Committee, Vice-Chair, 2018-19
- American Bar Association, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division, GP/Solo Diversity Committee, 2017-2018
- American Bar Association, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division, GP/Solo Fall Conference Host Committee, 2018-2019
- American Bar Association, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division, GP/Solo Disaster Assistance Committee, 2018-19
- General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division, GP/Solo National Solo Small Firm Conference Committee, 2013-2015
- American Bar Association, Fam Law Young Lawyer Committee 2007 – 2010, Fam Law Sponsorship Committee 2010
- American Bar Association, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division, GP/Solo Pro Bono and Public Service Committee, Vice-Chair, 2018 to 2019
Past Employment Positions
- Law Office of Christine G. Albano, Frisco/Plano, TX, Sole Practitioner, Family Law and Estate Planning, McKinney/Frisco, TX, 2003 to 2014
- Legal Services of North Texas, McKinney, TX, Staff Attorney, Family Law, Domestic Violence, Poverty Law, 1988 to 2003
- Loughmiller & DePlaza, PC, Dallas & McKinney, TX, Associate, Family Law, Personal Injury, 1997 to 1998
- Welch, Martin, Albano & Manners, PC, Independence, MO, Law Clerk, Family Law, Personal Injury
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Dallas, TX, 1995
- McCurley, Webb, Kinser, McCurley & Nelson, Dallas, TX, Law Clerk, Family Law, 1994
- McCurley, Webb, Kinser, McCurley & Nelson, Dallas, TX, File Clerk, Family Law, 1993