Craig R. Dearr

Miami native Craig R. Dearr has been practicing law in South Florida for over 40 years.  Having attended the University of Miami for his undergraduate, graduate and law school studies, graduating with honors in 1975 with his BA degree in history and his JD in 1981, Craig began his practice in 1981 as a sole practitioner, concentrating in commercial litigation and family law. Craig is a member of the Florida Bar, the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida and the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida.  In 1985 he joined the South Miami firm of Brodie and Marder, P.A. as an associate and was assigned most of the litigation for the firm’s largest client, The Trust Bank.  In January 1986 The Trust Bank hired Craig as General Counsel to start its first legal department.  As General Counsel, Craig was responsible for all of the bank’s litigation and advised upper management and the Board of Directors in all matters relating the day to day affairs of the bank, including meeting with the bank’s Chief Executive Officer and President regarding most legal issues faced by the bank, which expanded from two to five branches during the time Craig served as General Counsel.  In 1987 Craig returned to private practice as a sole practitioner, again concentrating on the representation of small businesses and individuals in the fields of construction litigation, commercial litigation, real estate and family law.  In 1989 Craig formed Craig R. Dearr, P.A. with the firm’s offices in One Datran Center.  In 1998 the firm’s offices were moved to Two Datran Center until 2007 when Craig joined with Scott J. Perdigon to form Dearr Perdigon, Attorneys at Law with offices in One Datran Center.  In 2017 the firm moved to its current offices in Suite 1500 in Two Datran Center.  In 1999 Craig was awarded the highest possible peer review rating in legal ability and ethical standards of “A-V” by Martindale-Hubbell, which rating he still maintains today. Craig is a Collaboratively trained Family Lawyer. He has also participated in the training of other lawyers in the Collaborative Family Law process. By choosing the Collaborative process, instead of a potentially more costly, contentious and less private court-based approach, couples seeking a divorce maintain control over the divorce process and its outcomes, with the help of trained professionals, who will help guide them toward solutions tailored to their family’s unique situation. The needs of the children and each individual spouse are kept paramount, enhancing the prospect for healthy outcomes for all family members.

During his over 40 years of practice, Craig has been active in both professional and civic organizations.  He is a member of the Florida Justice Association and the Miami-Dade Trial Lawyers Association.  He is a former member of the board of directors (1993-2003) of the Miami-Dade Trial Lawyers Association and past chair of the association’s Committee on Professionalism.  Craig has also been a member of the Supreme Court Historical Society and Florida Association for Women Lawyers.  In additional to his professional affiliations, Craig was a founding member of the Miami-Dade County Domestic Violence Oversight Board, which advises the Miami-Dade County Commission on all issues relating to Domestic Violence, and served on the board from 1994 to 2008.  Craig has lectured in South Florida and other parts of the state on issues relating to Domestic Violence and Professionalism through the Florida Bar as well as acting as a mentor to law school students and other attorneys through the Florida Bar’s mentoring program.  Craig has also served the community as a member of the board of directors and as President of the board of Greenfield Community Day School.  In addition, Craig has served as a board member and pro bono General Counsel for Up Front, Inc. a non-profit drug education program, a coach for the University of Miami’s mock trial team and a volunteer “construction worker” for Habitat for Humanity.  Craig has also served on the Board of Directors of the Alper JCC in South Dade and the Florida Bar Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee.  He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Miami Acting Company where he also serves as pro bono General Counsel and was the Board’s President for seven years.

Practice Areas

• Commercial Litigation
• Business Law
• Contracts
• Family Law
• Collaborative Family Law
• Divorce
• Child Custody
• Marital Agreements
• Real Estate Litigation
• Real Estate Law
• Probate
• Trusts and Estates

Admitted
1981 Florida.  Also admitted to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida and Middle District of Florida

Law School
University of Miami, J.D.

Member

• The Florida Bar
• Miami-Dade Trial Lawyers Association (Member, Board of Directors, 1993-2003; Chairman, Professionalism Committee, 1997-2000)
• Collaborative Family Law Institute
• Florida Academy of Collaborative Professionals
• The Florida Justice Association
• The Association of Trial Lawyers of America (1982-2004)

Community and Civic Activities 

• Founding member of the Miami-Dade County Domestic Violence Oversight Board (1994-2008)
• President of the Board of Directors of Greenfield Community Day School (1999-2002)
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Dave and Mary Alper JCC (2001—2010)
• Pro bono general counsel and board member, Up Front Inc., a non-profit drug education program
• Coach for the University of Miami state mock trial team
• Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity
• Phi Alpha Theta
• Member of the Board of Directors, past President and pro bono General Counsel of the Miami Acting Company

Birthplace
Miami Beach, Florida