Robert W. Schmidt, Of Counsel

Robert Schmidt, Employment Lawyer

Robert W. Schmidt, Of Counsel

Robert (“Bob”) W. Schmidt represents employees fighting for their rights in employment disputes involving sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, whistleblower issues, civil rights, wage and hour claims, employment contracts, and non-compete agreements. Mr. Schmidt was first admitted to the Texas Bar in 1989 and over his legal career has successfully represented hundreds of employees in employment law cases. He has been recognized as a Texas “Super Lawyer” from 2014-2023 in Labor and Employment law and as one of the Top 50 attorneys in all practice areas in Central and West Texas (2018 and 2019 ) by Thomson Reuters. He is rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell. He is a frequent speaker on employment law issues at continuing legal education seminars and for other groups. In 2015-2016, he was the Chair of the Austin Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Texas Employment Lawyers Association (a professional organization of attorneys in Texas representing employee rights), and a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association, and the State Bar of Texas Labor and Employment Section. He is a graduate of Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyer College, which is a selective, extensive trial advocacy training program for public interest attorneys. Mr. Schmidt received his law degree from the University of Texas in Austin, and undergraduate degrees with honors from U.T. Austin and Oklahoma City University. He began his law career working in business litigation at Locke Purnell Rain Harrell (now Locke Lord) in Dallas, Texas. He has also worked for the Texas Legislative Counsel, Texas Attorney General and Texas Ethics Commission. He is a member of the bar and practices in the State of Texas, the United States District Court for Western, Southern and Northern Districts of Texas, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Robert W (Bob) Schmidt And Crews Law Firm Win Significant Jury Verdict In Sex And Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit For UT Austin Professor

Robert W (Bob) Schmidt and Crews Law Firm won a jury verdict awarding $3 million in emotional distress-related damages in March 2022 in a sex and pregnancy discrimination case on behalf of a UT Austin professor. Federal law in this case imposes a “cap” on emotional distress-related damages to $300,000, so this portion of the jury’s verdict was reduced in the final judgment. Economic damages were also awarded. The jury’s verdict shows that discrimination is wrong and that employees have the right to be treated fairly and without discrimination.

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Born: Enid, Oklahoma, July 23, 1964

Bar Admissions: 1989, Texas

Also admitted to practice before:
U.S. Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit
U.S. District Courts Northern, Southern and Western District of Texas

Preparatory Education:
Oklahoma City University, 1986 – B.A., magna cum laude
The University of Texas, 2000 – B.F.A., highest honors

Legal Education:
The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas, 1989- J.D.
Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College, Wyoming – Sept. 2009 Graduate
Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College, Graduate Programs – 2010 and 2011

Robert W. Schmidt

Thomson Reuters
2014-2020

Professional Speaking and Publications:

  • State Bar of Texas, LGBTQ+ Legal Issues in Changing Times, “Employment Discrimination: How to Sue on LGBTQ+ Issues,” December 2019
  • Texas Employment Lawyers’ Association, “Employee Preservation of Evidence,” April 2019
  • Austin Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section, “Sexual Harassment and LGBTQ+ Protections in the #MeToo Era,” April 2019
  • Texas Employment Lawyers’ Association,“Sexual Harassment in the #MeToo Era,” April 2019
  • Austin Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section, “Proving Up Damages In Employment Law Cases,” February 2018
  • State Bar of Texas, Annual Convention, Labor & Employment Section, “Secrets Revealed: An Employment Lawyer Discusses Case Selection and Why He’s Suing Your Client,” June 2017
  • Texas Bar Journal, “Termination Motivation –Proving Discrimination and Retaliation in Employment Law Cases,”  March 2017.
  • State Bar Of Texas, Advanced Government Law Seminar, “Here’s What You Did And Here’s What I’m Going To Sue You For”, July 2016
  • Austin Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section, “Selected Issues in Preservation and Discovery of Electronic Information,” March 2016
  • Del Bosque v. Starr Cnty., 630 F. App’x 300 (5th Cir. 2015)
  • Austin Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section, “Ethical Pitfalls in Settlements,” February 2015
  • Austin Bar Association, LGBTQ+ Rights Section, “LGBTQ+ Employment Law Issues,” October 2014
  • Employment Job Seekers Network, Hill Country Bible Church, Austin, “Employment Law In ‘The Real World” August 2013
  • Texas Employment Lawyers’ Association, Statewide CLE, “Litigation Practicum: Trial Preparation and Techniques for Telling the Client’s Story” April 2013
  • Central Texas Compensation and Benefits Association, “Are We Going To Be Sued? A Plaintiff Employment Lawyer Tells All!,” January 2013
  • Disability Rights Texas, Statewide Training Seminar, “Collier v. Texas Tech University Verdict,” April 2012
  • Lorman Education Services, Austin, “Employment Law Update, ” April 2012 (PDF: AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT and EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION AND RETALIATION)
  • Austin Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section, “Electronic Discovery Issues in Employment Litigation,” February 2012
  • Job Seekers Network, Hill Country Bible Church, Austin, “Employment Law 101,” January 2012
  • Texas Employment Lawyer’s Association; Annual Conference, “Strategies for Defeating Non-Compete Agreements,” October 2011 (PDF: TELA Noncompete Paper)
  • Verdict Search, $547,651 Plus Attorneys Fees Employment Verdict (PDF: Verdict Search)
  • Lubbock Avalanche Journal, “Jury Finds Against Texas Tech in Employee Case,” May 25, 2011 (PDF: Lubbock Avalanche Journal)
  • University of Texas School of Law, Labor and Employment Law Conference, “”An Eye for an Eye: How to Prepare and Try a Retaliation Case,” May 2011
  • Lorman Education Services, Employment Law From A to Z, “At-Will Employment: The Rules and the Exceptions, Employment Discrimination and Retaliation, Can’t We All Just Get Along?”, April 2011 (PDF: Lorman Seminar 2011)
  • OUTLaw, LGBTQ+ Advocacy Conference, ”Employment Discrimination Affecting LGTB Employees,” April 2011
  • Austin Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section, “Discovery Issues in Employment Litigation,” January 2011
  • Austin Human Resources Management Association, Annual Conference, “Squaring Off In the Ring, Plaintiff vs. Defense Attorney” August 2010
  • Charles v. Grief, 522 F.3d 508 (5thCir. 2008)
  • At-Will Employment: The Rules and the Exceptions and Employment Discrimination and Retaliation: Can’t We All Just Get Along?,Prepared and Presented April 23, 2009, City of Austin Seminar
  • Small Business Development Program, Employment Law Basics, April 2009
  • Lorman Education Services, 2007 Employment Law Developments, November 2007
  • Lorman Education Services, Think Like an Employment Lawyer, September 2006

Professional Awards, Associations and Memberships:

Past Employment Positions:

  • Associate, Locke Purnell Raine Harrell, 1989-92
  • Assistant Legislative Counsel, Texas Legislative Counsel, 1993-94
  • Assistant Attorney General, Texas Attorney General’s Office, 1994-96
  • Assistant General Counsel, Texas Ethics Commission, 1996-2002
  • Senior Associate, Howard & Kobelan, 2002-06
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