About Us
Christopher C. Happ, Esq.
Mr. Happ is licensed to practice in both the State of California and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. He focuses all of his efforts on providing the firm’s clients with competent and cost-effective legal representation in their family law matters.
Mr. Happ received his Bachelor of Arts, Master of Public Administration and Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh.
While in graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA), Mr. Happ specialized in public policy and analysis coursework. Simultaneously, he worked for the non-profit Pennsylvania Economy League on a task force created by the Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh to evaluate and make recommendations as to how to resolve the city's fiscal crisis.
After graduate school, Mr. Happ worked as a budget specialist with the New York State Division of Budget in Albany, NY. Here, he was responsible for analyzing legislative bills for their budgetary impact on the State and recommending a course of action to then Governor George Pataki. Furthermore, he acted as the state budget liaison to the cities of Rochester and Syracuse and was heavily involved in drafting legislation to create “Fiscal Stability Bonds” for New York State’s financially distressed cities.
During law school, Mr. Happ honed his legal skills by working as a law clerk for the late Chief Justice Ralph J. Cappy of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. In addition, he spent time as a law clerk with Dugan & Associates, a firm which represents individuals with workers' compensation and social security disability claims. Mr. Happ also participated in the University of Pittsburgh School of Law's Low-Income Tax Clinic.
Upon being sworn in to practice law in the State of California in 2007, Mr. Happ immediately opened Happ Law Group P.C. Since its founding, Happ Law Group P.C. has been a firm exclusively devoted to representing individuals involved in family law disputes. Mr. Happ has prepared pleadings and discovery, negotiated settlements and handled contested hearings/trials involving all aspects of family law, including, but not limited to, custody/visitation, child and spousal support, property characterization and division, enforcement of judgments, and domestic violence. His clients have ranged from individuals with modest income to those with cases involving millions of dollars of assets. In 2010 and 2011, Mr. Happ's exceptional service was recognized by the San Diego Daily Transcript, as he was nominated as one of San Diego County’s "Outstanding Young Attorneys."
Mr. Happ, who began undergraduate school at Siena College in Albany, N.Y., was a four-year starter at shortstop for the Siena College and University of Pittsburgh baseball teams. He has played for the Young and New Lawyers Division (YNLD) softball team in the Bar Association Softball League since 2009. When not practicing law, Mr. Happ is a college basketball referee, an avid golfer, and a neophyte surfer.
