Civility as a Weapon: How to Win by Refusing to Fight Dirty

Welcome to Latte with a Lawyer, a leading podcast for attorneys exploring the strategies of top legal minds. In this episode, Kelly Schoening Holden of DBL Law shares a career-defining lesson on courtroom conduct. She recounts an early, high-stakes age discrimination trial where she faced a bombastic, red-faced opponent who was screaming at the jury. Kelly explains how she maintained her composure, refused to take the bait, and ultimately won a complete defense verdict—proving that you can be a zealous advocate for your client without being a jerk. With a career at the same firm since 1993, Kelly also pulls back the curtain on how to build a practice and a team that lasts. She discusses how DBL Law fosters extraordinary loyalty, with staff staying for 30 or 40 years, and how she applies lessons from HR managers to retain talent—even praising millennials for demanding the work-life balance she believes all employees deserve. Kelly breaks down her defense-side employment practice, from advising on hiring and firing to her preference for arbitration and early mediation to save clients the $100,000-plus cost of a trial, and shares the personal story behind her passion for adoption law. Linkedin:   / kelly-schoening-holden-50a3187   FIRM Website: https://www.dbllaw.com/ Learn more about EmotionTrac and our AI-driven Emotional Intelligence Platform: https://legal.emotiontrac.com/