Sophia R. Holley

Sophia Holley is a partner in the firm’s Litigation and Real Estate Groups, practicing in Ohio and Northern Kentucky. Sophia has considerable first-chair trial experience, including a complete defense victory obtained in a preliminary injunction hearing against an international company with over $23 billion in global revenue. She has been recognized as a PLEDGE Emerging Leader with the John W. Peck Cincinnati-NKY Chapter of the Federal Bar Association based upon her trial work. She represents clients in areas of land use and zoning, lease disputes, commercial and residential property sale disputes, boundary lines and easements, eminent domain, and real estate value reductions. Sophia’s unique skillset permits her to advocate for clients at both the administrative level and in the courts.

Litigation & Trial Practice
Sophia is a seasoned litigator with successful first chair trial and judgment victories before the jury, bench, and the American Arbitration Association. This includes complete plaintiff’s victories and the award of attorney’s fees. Sophia also has broad experience in defending and prosecuting temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions, with first-chair successes on both sides. Her litigation practice includes handling complex litigation involving state, county, township and municipal legislative and administrative regulations, land use and zoning, lease disputes, and boundary lines and easements.

Land Use & Zoning, Real Property Tax & Eminent Domain
As a land use and zoning attorney, Sophia helps clients get the green light for zoning approvals and other entitlements necessary for their land development needs, including residential, commercial, industrial, and mixed-use developments. Sophia has extensive experience in administrative processes related to plans, zoning applications, conditional use permits, and variances, and she regularly assists clients in asserting vested and non-conforming rights. Sophia has obtained significant real property reductions for commercial property owners, as well as compensation for the taking of property in eminent domain matters well beyond the condemning authorities’ initial offers of compensation.

Sophia is active with the Cincinnati Federal Bar Association and is co-chair of the firm’s Women’s Initiative Committee. Prior to the practice of law, she supported veterans in the housing sector as a founding member of the inaugural Executive Committee of Louisville’s first Stand Down/Homeless Connect. Sophia is the former president of the University of Kentucky Taekwondo Club, and fenced left-handed foil with the University of Kentucky Fencing Club. She lives in Cincinnati with her husband and twin sons.

What do you enjoy about being an attorney?
Advocating for people. I have a unique position among many real estate attorneys in that I started as a traditional litigator, and have a number of first-chair victories under my belt before the American Arbitration Association, the bench, and the jury. I’ve been to trial before, I can zealously advocate for clients in trial, and I can work to avoid litigation where appropriate.

A favorite childhood memory?
A childhood memory I cherish is competing with my two older brothers, who I idolized as a child. They formed a club when we were kids called “Boyzee Inc.”—I was not permitted to join—and they utilized their collective additional 4 years of life experience to their advantage when we “played” (e.g., they convinced me to trade my dimes for pennies, because pennies were bigger). Growing up with them I had to learn to stand my ground and this grew into a love for litigation. I should add, my brothers have since grown up to be incredibly thoughtful, caring, and fair adults (though they should really pay back the many dimes they still owe me).

Best career advice you’ve ever received?
The most impactful career advice I ever received was a message from my dad when I was a teenager, shortly before we lost him: “Do what you enjoy the most. No one expects you to do any more than that. It all takes time so you might as well enjoy it as you go along.” It’s a good reminder to enjoy the ride.