Kelly Dove
Partner, Snell & Wilmer
Where were you when you received your 40 Under 40 award? I was practicing appellate and commercial litigation as an associate at Snell & Wilmer, which is one of the largest law firms in the western United States.
What do you want to accomplish? On a personal level, I would love to argue before the United States Supreme Court one day.
What have you learned the hard way? “No” is a complete sentence.Juggling a busy career and a busy family means that I can’t do everything, and I need to prioritize how I am going to spend the limited time I have.Saying “no” is critical to avoiding becoming overwhelmed, over-promising and under-delivering and feeling resentment for doing something you wish you had declined. I haven’t mastered this, but I’m getting better.
What’s your favorite spot for a lunch meeting? I often eat at my desk, but what I think makes a great spot for a lunch meeting is a convenient location that is reliable and has a menu with enough variety to please most people. Capital Grille and Table 34 are good examples.
Who is your business hero? I don’t have a business hero, but I respect people who are ethical, inclusive and support their communities.
If you ran Las Vegas, what’s the first thing you would do? While it’s a statewide issue, and not a city issue, I would do everything in my power to ensure better funding and support for our public schools.
What’s the best advice you have to offer? “You made the best decision you could with the information you had at the time.”
I can’t remember where I read this, but the point is to let regret go. Don’t second-guess your past decisions, but learn from them and move forward.