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DAWN HERNANDEZ

Dawn Hernandez holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Human Services, and attended law school at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Licensed to practice law in the state of Iowa, she focuses her practice primarily in immigration law, mediation, collaborative family law, and increasing access to the justice system through unbundled (limited scope) services. 


Dawn Hernandez’s passion for issues involving immigration began when, as a child, she lived in close proximity to many migrant farm-workers in Eastern Washington State. Throughout her youth she gained a unique perspective of the complexities of our immigration system and its effect on individuals, families, and employers. That experience fueled her desire to become fluent in Spanish to better support immigrant families as they transition into life in the United States, and U.S. employers who desire to hire foreign workers.

Before attending law school, Dawn worked with immigrants in various professional capacities. She spent time as a Bilingual Outreach Coordinator for the Postville, Iowa school district where she helped families understand the importance of continuing education beyond middle school. She also worked as an outreach specialist for the Iowa State Migrant and Seasonal Farm Worker program, coordinated English classes for adult learners, and provided freelance interpreting services to local law enforcement, emergency, educational, and mental health professionals. Subsequently, Dawn provided a unique immigrant-aware perspective during her time as a City Council member in Postville, Iowa. Dawn hopes to use her passion, experience, and education to help strengthen immigrant families and assist her business clients with finding high-quality employees by helping them navigate the often counter-intuitive immigration processes available to them.


In addition to her experience working with immigrants, Dawn has also held positions that have allowed her to interact with individuals from demographic groups that have often had disproportionate access to our legal system. As the Co-Department Head of the Allamakee County Substance Abuse Prevention department of Allamakee County, Iowa she facilitated positive engagement groups for at-risk youth, a Moms Off Meth support group for mothers recovering from all types of addiction, and coordinated early-intervention home-based mental health and counseling initiatives for at-risk youth and their families. In her role as an Outreach Specialist with the New Iowan Centers through Iowa Workforce Development, Dawn was privileged to assist adults from all walks of life as they worked to better improve employability and independence. She assisted with resume writing and job skills training, coordinated adult-education courses and community focus-groups for local under-served populations, and worked with disabled adults to take full advantage of local resources. These experiences have cemented her desire to look beyond the surface with each client. This deepened perspective helps clients have increased access to the legal system and the local resources that can make the legal process feel less arduous.

Stella Roederer

Stella Roederer grew up on a farm in North English, Iowa and holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and History, and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, both from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA. She attended Drake Law School in Des Moines, IA and is licensed to practice law in Iowa. Stella focuses her practice in immigration law and family law and is passionate about increasing access to the justice system through unbundled (limited scope) services. At the root of Stella’s practice is people in their time of need. Whether it is assisting people through a visa application with USCIS or empowering people to take charge of a divorce, Stella focuses on each client as a person of dignity and worthy of respect. 

Prior to law school, Stella worked as a liaison between local non-profits and university students in Davenport, IA at St. Ambrose University. In this role, she was responsible for meeting with non-profits to build a mutual network of service. By understanding the needs at the top of the non-profits’ priority lists, Stella was able to connect the students interested in service and social justice with non-profits. This provided a vital opportunity for students’ growth, as well as an opportunity of assistance for the non-profits in the area.


Stella’s journey to being an immigration and family law attorney was not a straight path. Growing up in rural Iowa provided the most basic of backgrounds in understanding that each year migrant workers make their way throughout the agricultural sectors of the United States. But it wasn’t until after graduate school while volunteering with an immigration advocacy group that she began to take a deeper look at immigration policy and laws.


Through this work, Stella has come to believe in the importance of serving humanity, and her main goal is to be of service in a meaningful way. The legal world is complex and often times unforgiving but Stella is committed to assisting people through their legal issues with competent compassion. By unbundling our services, Stella believes clients can take control of their circumstances and walk out on the other side healed and whole.

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