Getting to Know Bob Coursey
How long have you been an employment lawyer?
23 years.
How did you become an employment lawyer?
I can very clearly point to my taking a class in my second year of law school called "Employment Discrimination" as the event that led me on the path that I'm still on. I loved a lot of my law school classes, but when I took this class, everything clicked for me. I knew what I wanted to do as a lawyer. I sought and ended up getting offered a job right out of law school with Fisher Phillips, one of the country's biggest and best employment law firms.
Wait, am I looking at the right resume here? It says that after Fisher Phillips you worked as a personal trainer? Is that right?
Indeed it is. After 10 years as a lawyer in this amazing law firm, culminating in making partner in 2007, when I should have felt such a sense of accomplishment, I instead looked around at what I had achieved and realized it wasn’t for me. I decided to take a break from practicing law to explore another path. I spent two years as a certified personal trainer, loving every minute of it, but eventually missing many things about practicing employment law and looking for the right way to get back to it.
Oooohhh, that sounds like foreshadowing. Is it?
Yes, are you an English major like me? If so, good luck with that. Anyway, it was at that point (2010) that fate stepped in and I began working at Employers Council. There, for 11 years, I worked with the most dedicated and talented group of employment lawyers, HR professionals, and administrative staff, in our small Utah office, helping the most caring and hard-working companies in Utah and beyond become the best employers they could be.
And now here you are starting this Modern Age Employment Law thing?
Crazy, I know. But I've realized lately that in my 23 years of being an employment lawyer, I've seen the best and worst of how to deliver employment law and HR services. And the clients I want to work with deserve better than what they've seen before. And I’m committed to delivering that.
Why do you love being an employment lawyer?
I am an employment lawyer for 3 reasons: (1) I love the intellectual stimulation and challenge; (2) I love working with people to help them solve their companies' employment law and human resources challenges; and (3) I know that what I do makes workplaces more fair, equitable, and tolerant. I consider myself very lucky that I am able to do what I do.
Do you really think people have all these questions about you being a lawyer? What are some non-lawyer-related things people may not know about you?
I'm a major music lover. Like obsessive. Have been since I was a wee lad. I'm an OK drummer who still dreams of being a rock star. I recently joined my first band, so there's still a chance. I meditate daily, and actually became a certified meditation teacher in 2020. I'm a Peloton enthusiast. I read a lot. I love Utah’s amazing outdoors. I have other deep, dark secrets that I may share with you if we get to know each other better. And, most importantly, I'm a husband to an awesome wife and father of four sons who bring me immense joy.
What are some words you'd use to describe your approach to creating, and philosophy behind, Modern Age Employment Law?
Modern (obviously!), not the old way, nimble, personalized, irreverent, fun, casual, relationship-based, energetic, calming, practical, authentic, dedicated.
If people have other questions about Bob, how can they ask them?
Click here! If we like your question we may add it here!