Hannah Hembree Bell
Founding Attorney of
Hembree Bell Law Firm
Hannah Hembree Bell is the founding attorney of Hembree Bell Law Firm where she focuses her practice on family law, divorce, and estate planning. Hannah is dedicated to helping people navigate tough family matters with genuine care and compassion.
Hannah focuses on serving people and families – not businesses or powerful corporations – because she truly cares about helping others. In fact, it’s her passion. Before founding Hembree Bell Law, Hannah worked at a large law firm in downtown San Antonio. She soon realized that serving big companies was not the best fit for her. At that point, Hannah decided to dedicate her career to helping good people navigate the complexities and emotional turmoil of divorce and family disputes.
Having navigated a divorce herself, Hannah draws a lot from her own personal experience. In her daily practice, she strives to be the lawyer she wishes she’d had during her own divorce and custody case. Today, Hannah has four young children and a blended family, so she understands what families like yours are seeking. She knows that you need – and deserve – an attorney who is willing to stand by your side and get into the weeds with you. With Hannah in your corner, you will receive practical guidance, compassionate care, and legally sound counsel.
Hannah was recently interviewed for a feature article for Attorneys at Law Magazine, where she discusses the origins of her career and the life changes that prompted her to shift from an up-and-coming Big Law employment lawyer to a family law attorney.
Hannah and her team handle divorce, custody, and family law cases for clients throughout several counties in the Austin and San Antonio areas. Her estate planning and divorce coaching practices are offered statewide.
Day 1 - Breakout: Steven Bradley & Hannah Hembree Bell
Adolescence, Emojis and Online Codes: Interpreting Hidden Risk
Who it will interest
Mediators, family lawyers, judges, CAFCASS professionals, social workers, safeguarding leads, educators and professionals working with adolescents in separated or high conflict family systems
What this session is about
This session focuses on how teenage communication online is frequently misunderstood by adults and professionals. Steven examines how emojis, symbols, shorthand and platform behaviours function as codes within adolescent culture, carrying meanings that may signal vulnerability, pressure, fear or risk.
The session explores how adolescence, identity formation, peer influence and loyalty conflict intersect with digital spaces and why teenage distress is often expressed indirectly through online behaviour rather than verbal disclosure. It challenges professionals to rethink how adolescent voice, behaviour and expressed views are interpreted in safeguarding and family justice contexts.
Key themes
Adolescent development and online communication
Emojis, symbols and digital shorthand as coded language
Peer pressure, loyalty conflict and identity online
Misinterpretation of adolescent behaviour and expressed views
Hidden risk in everyday digital interactions
What delegates will gain
Greater insight into how adolescents communicate distress online
Increased awareness of how emojis and digital codes can be misread
A more developmentally informed lens for interpreting adolescent behaviour
Practical reflection points for safeguarding and assessment
How it connects to other sessions
This deepens the conference focus on child voice and interpretation, aligning closely with Professor Anne Barlow and Dr Jan Ewing’s work on participation and Bill Eddy’s exploration of stress and behaviour.
Who it will interest: Mediators, family lawyers, judges, CAFCASS professionals, social workers, safeguarding leads, educators and professionals working with adolescents in separated or high conflict family systems
What this session is about
This session focuses on how teenage communication online is frequently misunderstood by adults and professionals. Steven examines how emojis, symbols, shorthand and platform behaviours function as codes within adolescent culture, carrying meanings that may signal vulnerability, pressure, fear or risk.
The session explores how adolescence, identity formation, peer influence and loyalty conflict intersect with digital spaces and why teenage distress is often expressed indirectly through online behaviour rather than verbal disclosure. It challenges professionals to rethink how adolescent voice, behaviour and expressed views are interpreted in safeguarding and family justice contexts.
Key themes
Adolescent development and online communication
Emojis, symbols and digital shorthand as coded language
Peer pressure, loyalty conflict and identity online
Misinterpretation of adolescent behaviour and expressed views
Hidden risk in everyday digital interactions
What delegates will gain
Greater insight into how adolescents communicate distress online
Increased awareness of how emojis and digital codes can be misread
A more developmentally informed lens for interpreting adolescent behaviour
Practical reflection points for safeguarding and assessment
How it connects to other sessions
This deepens the conference focus on child voice and interpretation, aligning closely with Professor Anne Barlow and Dr Jan Ewing’s work on participation and Bill Eddy’s exploration of stress and behaviour.