Robert M. (Hoppy) Elliot was born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1950. He attended public schools in Charlotte, and graduated from Myers Park High School in 1969. Hoppy attended Furman University for two years, and transferred to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he majored in political science and graduated in 1973. After a year of work and travel, Hoppy attended Wake Forest University School of Law where he earned his law degree in 1977.

Hoppy clerked for the year 1977-78 with Judge R. A. Hedrick of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. In early 1979, Hoppy joined a law firm in Winston-Salem which focused in employment law and civil rights litigation. In 1988, Hoppy helped to found his present law firm, now known as Elliot Pishko Morgan, P.A.

Hoppy's professional career has included a wide range of practice, primarily in litigation. He has continuously practiced in civil litigation in the specific fields of employment law, civil rights litigation, personal injury and commercial litigation. During the 1980s and early 1990s, Hoppy also handled criminal cases, including a number of capital cases. In the last 10 years, he has confined his practice to civil litigation, although he still handles criminal death penalty cases on post-conviction review. Hoppy has practiced extensively in federal and state court, both within and without North Carolina, and has been involved in many jury trials. Hoppy has also argued cases at the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the North Carolina Supreme Court and the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Hoppy has received a number of commendations from his peers, including the following:

• Best Lawyers in America—Employment Law (1994 to present)
  
  
• Chambers USA, America's Leading Business Lawyers (2003-2004) (selected as "one of top plaintiffs' employments lawyers in State")
   
• Business North Carolina, Legal Elite in Employment Law (2004)(one of 6 plaintiffs' attorneys selected as top lawyers in North Carolina.)
  
  
• Business North Carolina, Legal Elite in Employment Law (2008)(selected as the top lawyer in North Carolina.)

He is co-chair of the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers Employment Section (2003-2005); and has served as chair of the NCBA Employment/Labor Law Section (1996-1997). He has also spoken at many seminars on various subjects, including employment law, civil rights and personal injury litigation. Hoppy has written a number of articles, and served as the chief editor of the 1996 North Carolina Prima Facie Tort Manual, which is currently under revision.

Hoppy has been continuously involved in community service, both as a professional and as a citizen. Hoppy received the Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year Awards in 1992 from the North Carolina Bar Association and the Forsyth County Bar Association. Hoppy has served the ACLU of North Carolina, both on the board and as president and as general counsel. Hoppy was instrumental, along with others members of St. Anne's Episcopal Church, in founding the Crossing 52 Initiative, which addressed problems of race relations in the community. He served on the board and as president of Neighbors in Ministry, an organization started by several churches which was involved, among other things, in Hispanic relations. Hoppy was appointed to the Winston-Salem Human Relations Commission in 1998-2004, and served as the Chair of the Commission for three years; and was appointed by the Mayor of Winston-Salem to the Committee on Racial Healing. He has also served on the Bishop's Committee on Sexual Ethics of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, which investigates and addresses complaints of misconduct within the Church.

Hoppy is married to Suzanne Reynolds, a Professor of Law at Wake Forest University School of Law. Hoppy and Suzanne have three wonderful children. In addition to spending time with this family, Hoppy enjoys traveling, running, camping and hiking in the mountains.