Jessica Couser practices in the areas of custody, divorce, parentage, enforcement, child support, private and contested adoptions, protective orders, guardianship, LGBTQ law, and more. Jess and Laura Hansen founded Just Law, LLC in 2010 with the goal of providing clients excellent, ethical and family-focused legal representation.

Jess believes that family law matters require legal skill and strategy, but that they also require compassion, creativity, and fortitude. Family law attorneys should have specific knowledge of child development, trauma, communication and coping mechanisms; and should be prepared to advocate for and educate every client on the legal and practical matters they may be facing.

Hobbies:

Jess loves spending time with her husband, three daughters, two chow chows and extended family here in Utah as well as in Wisconsin, Illinois, Idaho and California. She also loves (in no particular order) comic books, poetry, art, football, craft cocktails, the Utes, her 1967 vintage camper, camping, cooking, tattoos, running, politics, movies, cribbage, theatre, gardening, dance, writing, design, travel, yard sales, corn hole, music, Gonzaga basketball, the beach, craft beer, abandoned buildings, literature, various Netflix and HBO series, festivals, urban art, flowers, history, comedy, gummy bears, learning French and Spanish, roller coasters, podcasts, Settlers of Catan, mountains, galas, and 5ks.

  • In re Adoption of B.H., Utah Supreme Court, 2020 UT 64
  • In re Adoption of B.H., Utah Court of Appeals, 2019 UT App 103

  • Legal Elite, Utah Business, 2020
  • Thomson Reuters Super Lawyer, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
  •  Pro Bono Honor Roll, Utah State Bar Association, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
  •  An Article, Profound Pronouns: Jess Couser’s Pro Bono LGBTQ+ Legal Representation, By Audrey Lockie, SLUG Magazine, February 6, 2020
  •  Up and Coming Legal Elite, Utah Business, 2017, 2018, 2019
  •   Distinguished Pro Bono Legal Clinic Award: Rainbow Law, Utah Pro Bono Initiative, 2018
  •  Presidential Silver Gavel Award, Gonzaga SBA, 2009

  • Utah Adoption Council, President, 2018
  • Utah Adoption Council, President-Elect, 2017
  • Children’s Service Society of Utah, Board of Directors, Board Member, 2017
  • Association of Collaborative Professionals of Utah, President, 2016
  • Association of Collaborative Professionals of Utah, President-Elect, 2015

  • Presenter, Utah Adoption Specialists Adoptive Parent Education Seminar, Legal and Ethical Considerations in Adoption, August 2021
  • Guest, No One Dies From Divorce Podcast, How We Can Be Better Advocates for the LGBTQ Community, 2021
  • Presenter, Transfamlaw: Effective and Informed Advocacy for Transgender Clients and Their Families, AFCC Utah, 2019
  • Presenter, Utah Family Law Section Continuing Legal Educations Series, The Future of Collaborative Law in Utah, January 2015
  • Presenter, Utah CASA Conference, Education Advocacy for Court Appointed Special Advocates, October 2012

  • Utah State Office of Guardian ad Litem, Pro bono and regularly appointed attorney, 2010 – Present
  • Children’s Service Society of Utah, Board of Directors, Board Member, 2017 – Present
  • Rainbow Law Clinics hosted by the Utah Pride Center and the University of Utah Pro Bono Initiative, Volunteer, 2014 – Present
  • Family Law Clinics hosted by the Legal Aid Society of Utah and the U of U Pro Bono Initiative, Volunteer. 2010 – Present
  • Utah Adoption Council, President-Elect, 2017
  • Association of Collaborative Professionals of Utah, President, 2016
  • Association of Collaborative Professionals of Utah, President-Elect, 2015
  • Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), Third District Court, State of Utah, 2010 – 2013
  • Utah Adoption Council, President, 2018
  • Neighborhood Accountability Board, Spokane Juvenile Court Diversion, 2006 – 2009
  • Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), Spokane Juvenile Court, State of WA, 2007 – 2008

  • Utah State Bar Annual Family Law Seminar, 2017
  • Utah State Bar LGBT and Allied Lawyers Gender Marker Change Clinic, 2017
  • Avvo Layernomics, 2017
  • Utah Office of Guardian ad litem, Private PGAL Training, 2017
  • Utah State Bar Annual Family Law Seminar, 2016
  • Utah Office of Guardian ad litem, Private PGAL Training, 2016
  • Utah State Bar Family Law Section, What Family Practitioners Need to Know About Juvenile Law, 2016
  • Utah State Bar Annual Family Law Seminar, 2015
  • Utah State Bar Fall Forum, 2015
  • Utah State Bar Family Law Section, Five Things You Need to Know About Child Support, 2015
  • Utah State Bar Annual Family Law Seminar, 2014
  • Utah State Bar Fall Forum, 2014
  • AFCC 11th Symposium of Child Custody Evaluations, San Antonio, TX, 2014
  • IACP 15th Annual Collaborative Networking and Education Forum, Phoenix, AZ, 2014