Contact Us

Heather Stovall attended the University of Texas at Dallas, where she majored in Political Science. After graduation, she spent time working at an international litigation law firm in Dallas as a file clerk and assistant. She then attended law school at SMU Dedman School of Law, where she spent time working for small law firms specializing in family law, served as an extern at the U.S Bankruptcy Court – Northern District of Texas, and as an intern in the Animal Cruelty Unit at the Dallas County DA’s Office. Heather graduated cum laude in 2014 and went on to practice family law, estate planning, and probate litigation. She returned to SMU Dedman School of Law in 2018, where she was the Associate Director of Admissions for the law school. In Fall 2022, she went back in to practice in Greenville, Texas at Money Law and Title, where she practiced real estate law and business law. In her time away from the office, she is busy with her husband, chasing after two toddlers and their array of mini farm animals. She is excited to return to UT Dallas and help pre-law students pursue their goals of legal education.

Volya Helm joined the team in February 2023. She worked for the University previously and is excited to join the Office of Undergraduate Education and Pre-Law Advising Center. In her free time, Volya enjoys painting, exploring museums, and helping run her family’s non-profit organization.  

Attorney Tony A. Seagroves coaches the Mock Trial and Mediation teams at UT Dallas. He is a 2014 graduate from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and an alumni of The University of Texas at Dallas. He is licensed to practice law in both Federal and Texas state courts and focuses his private practice on helping disabled veterans. 

Joanne (Jody) Joiner, J.D. is senior counsel for Tenet Healthcare in Dallas, Texas, for which she provides legal advice related to health care operations for 14 hospitals and 16 imaging centers. Previously she was in-house legal counsel at Integris Health in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Prior to those roles, Ms. Joiner was a partner in the Polsinelli Law Firm in Kansas City, Missouri. During her thirty years of practicing law, she has also been associate general counsel for the Missouri Hospital Association in Jefferson City, Missouri, and assistant attorney general for the State of Missouri. She also has been a faculty member at the University of Kansas School of Law, William Woods University, Columbia College and The University of Texas at Dallas. 

Ms. Joiner received her B.A. degree in psychology from the University of Kansas and her J.D. degree from the University of Kansas School of Law. She has authored the following publications: 

Words Will Never Hurt Me: The Risks in Treating a Linguistically Diverse Population, HEALTH LAWYERS NEWS, October 2007. 

Blame it on (the) RHIO: Potential Liability Concerns with Electronic Health Information Exchange, HEALTH LAWYERS NEWS, June 2006. 

Habla Español? Providing Language Assistance Services in the Healthcare Setting, Healthcare Liability and Litigation (AHLA) Spring 2004, Volume 7, Issue 1. 

THE MISSOURI BAR, MISSOURI SOURCES OF PROOF (4th ed. 2001), contributing author. 

Qualified Immunity and the Right to Immediate Appeal, 63 U.M.K.C.L.Rev. 229 – 1994. 

Natalie Roetzel Ossenfort, Esq.

Lecturer
natalie.roetzel@utdallas.edu

Natalie Ossenfort serves as Program Director for Bolder Advocacy, and was formerly the Director of AFJ’s Texas office, where she worked with local nonprofit organizations to boost their advocacy capacity and understanding of state and federal nonprofit advocacy rules. Prior to her work with the organization, she helped to create and run the Innocence Project of Texas, a nonprofit dedicated to freeing those wrongfully convicted of crimes in the state. At IPTX, Natalie held both Executive Director and Chief Staff Attorney positions, and she specialized in the litigation of cases involving the use of DNA evidence. She also worked with the organization to successfully advocate on behalf of reforms designed to reduce the number of wrongful convictions and assist those reentering society after lengthy terms of unjust confinement.

Natalie obtained her law degree from the Texas Wesleyan University School of Law in Fort Worth. She earned her undergraduate B.A. from Trinity University in San Antonio, where she majored in Political Science and graduated cum laude.

Natalie is a member of the State Bar of Texas and currently resides in Dallas.