Jodi Bender

As a partner at Duffee + Eitzen, Jodi Bender focuses solely on family law, providing compassionate, strategic guidance to clients facing divorce, custody issues, and other family legal matters.

Throughout her career, Jodi has helped clients navigate challenging times with integrity and personalized counsel, specializing in complex property division, adoptions, modifications, pre- and postnuptial agreements, and more. Skilled in collaborative law, she prioritizes conflict resolution outside the courtroom but is prepared to advocate vigorously in court when needed. Her approach centers on protecting clients’ rights and achieving results as efficiently as possible.

Jodi earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas State University, her master’s in education from West Texas A&M, and graduated summa cum laude from Texas A&M University School of Law in 2010.

Jodi has received numerous professional honors, including recognition from Super Lawyers, LawDragon, and Best Lawyers. Jodi is active in the Collin County Family Law Bar Association and the Dallas Bar Association’s Family Law Section and has contributed to the profession through publications and presentations on family law and related topics.

BAR ADMISSIONS
Texas, State Bar of Texas
United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
Supreme Court of the United States

EDUCATION
Texas A&M School of Law, Summa Cum Laude, 2010
West Texas A&M University, Masters of Education, 1999
Texas State University, B.S. Cum Laude, 1992

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS
Collin County Bar Association
Dallas County Bar Association
Tarrant County Young Lawyers
Education Law Association
Annette Stewart American Inn of Court, 2016–2017
Eldon B Mahon Inn of Court (Associate Member), 2012–2015

PRO BONO & COMMUNITY SERVICE
Collin County Bar Association, Family Law Section Leader, 2018–2019
Texas Association of School Boards, Council of School Attorneys
National School Boards Association, Council of School Attorneys

HONORS & AWARDS
Super Lawyers, Rising Stars 2019–2020
LawDragon 500, 2024
Best Lawyers, 2024–2025
Best Family Lawyers in Plano, 2020

PUBLICATIONS & SPEECHES
How to Get Your Evidence In During Your Family Law Case – Commonly Overlooked Exceptions to the Hearsay Rule, Dallas County Bar Association, Headnotes Article, August 2018
Yours, Mine, or Ours? Dealing with a Jointly-Owned Separate Property House During Divorce, State Bar of Texas Family Law Section Report, Fall 2017
Yours, Mine or Ours? Home Ownership in Divorce, Dallas County Bar Association, Headnotes Article, Fall 2017
Working with School Districts – Common Issues, Dallas County Bar Association, Headnotes Article, Spring 2014
Case Law Update, Collin County Bar Association Family Law Section, 2013–2015
An Overview of Federal Disability Laws, Chapter in Contemporary Issues in Higher Education Law (2nd Ed.), published by the Education Law Association, 2011
Comment, Snowflakes in Texas? Enacting Legislation to Allow for Embryo Adoption, Texas Wesleyan Law Review, 2010

PRESENTATIONS
HIPAA & TMRPA. Compliance is Important. Non-Compliance is Expensive. Mental Health Professionals’ Conference, Dallas, Texas, 2018
Drafting Pleadings and Enforceable Orders and Judgments, Family Law Essentials Seminar, 2016
HIPAA & TMRPA. Compliance is Important. Non-Compliance is Expensive. Dallas County Bar Association, Criminal Defense Section, 2015
Case Law Update, Collin County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2014–2015
HIPAA & TMRPA. Compliance is Important. Non-Compliance is Expensive. Collin County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2014
Special Education & Truancy, L. Clifford Davis Legal Association, Legal Clinic, 2013
Overview of Torts, University of Texas Dallas Guest Lecture, Legal Studies Program, 2013
Legislative Update, Client Workshop for Public School Superintendents and School Board Members, 2013
School-to-Prison Pipeline, Education Law Association Regional Conference, 2013
School-to-Prison Pipeline, Texas Association of School Administrators/Texas Association of School Boards State Conference, 2013
Real Housewives of Texas County: When Citizens Turn Your Job into Reality TV, Texas Association of School Administrators/Texas Association of School Boards State Conference, 2012
Legal Issues for Public School Education Foundations, Board2Board Education Foundation Workshop, 2012
Special Education Admission, Review, Dismissal Meeting Deliberations, Client Workshop, 2012
Discipline Procedures for Special Education Students, Client Workshop for Public School Superintendents and School Board Members, 2012
Update on Bullying Legislation, Client Workshop for Public School Superintendents and School Board Members, 2012
Sexual Harassment Claims, Bullying, and Social Networking, Client Workshop for Public School Superintendents and School Board Members, 2011
Meaningful Grievances, Region XI Education Service Center Principal Preparation Program, 2011
The Texas Open Meetings Act, Region XI Education Service Center Principal Preparation Program, 2011
The Texas Open Meetings Act, Region XI Education Service Center Principal Preparation Program, 2010