Douglas Noll

Douglas Noll shows how empathy and emotional awareness can stop conflict, calm anger, and create meaningful resolution in the toughest environments.

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“I started working with Doug a few months ago in order to develop skills that would help de-escalate tension while sheltering-in-place with family. The techniques he teaches were very useful to that end. I have found myself incorporating them in many other situations as well, such as with patients and staff in the office, in dialogue with friends, and with my toddler son. Some of his techniques are simple enough that I was able to use them immediately, with profound effect. Additionally, his approach is helping me to conserve mental and emotional energy while navigating challenging interpersonal dynamics, which has been invaluable for this working mom. I highly recommend his training.”

Elizabeth Arris, LAc

Licensed Acupuncturist

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Why book Douglas Noll for your next event

Douglas Noll brings rare real-world credibility from prisons, courtrooms, and boardrooms, translating extreme conflict into practical tools audiences can use immediately.
His work combines neuroscience, empathy, and emotional awareness to help leaders de-escalate anger and restore trust under pressure.
With decades of experience and award-winning insight, Doug delivers calm, authority, and clarity on navigating conflict without force.

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Peacemaking, empathy, and de-escalation in high-conflict situations

Imagine stepping into a windowless room inside a maximum-security prison. Fifteen cages line the walls. Inside each cage is a shackled man. Violence is common. Emotions run high. And your task is to teach these men how to stop fighting. This is not a metaphor. It is real work Douglas Noll has done as a peacemaker. After a successful career as a trial lawyer, Doug walked away from litigation to dedicate his life to resolving human conflict at its most intense. Today, he is known for his ability to translate empathy and emotional mastery into practical strategies that work when stakes are high and emotions run hot.

Douglas Noll: From Trial Lawyer to Peacemaker

Douglas Noll began his professional life as a business and commercial trial lawyer. By every traditional measure, his legal career was a success. Yet he saw firsthand how adversarial systems often deepen conflict rather than resolve it. In 2000, Doug made a decisive shift, leaving the practice of law to focus entirely on peacemaking and conflict resolution. That decision set him on a path that would place him in courtrooms, prisons, international discussions, and leadership settings where conflict is not theoretical but immediate and personal.

Peacemaking in Extreme Conflict

Doug’s work inside California prisons stands as one of the most striking examples of his approach. Teaching incarcerated men how to de-escalate violence required more than authority or rules. It demanded empathy, emotional attunement, and the ability to calm the human nervous system under stress. These experiences shaped Doug’s philosophy: conflict cannot be resolved without first addressing emotion. His methods are grounded in neuroscience and emotional awareness, offering audiences tools that work even when logic fails and tempers rise.

Awards and Professional Recognition

Douglas Noll’s contributions have been widely recognized. He has been voted one of the Best Lawyers in America since 2005 and named a Northern California Super Lawyer since 2006. In 2012, he was honored as California Attorney of the Year for his innovative peacemaking work in prisons. Best Lawyers in America named him Lawyer of the Year in 2014, the same year he became a Purpose Prize Fellow with Encore.org. Additional honors include the Sid Lezak Award of Excellence from the International Academy of Mediators in 2017 and Distinguished Neutral of the Year from the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals in 2018.

Author and Thought Leader

Doug is the author and co-author of several influential books on conflict, diplomacy, and human interaction. His book De-Escalate: How to Calm an Angry Person in 90 Seconds received the Book Excellence Award and became an Amazon Best Seller, resonating with leaders, professionals, and individuals facing daily conflict. His earlier work, Elusive Peace: How Modern Diplomatic Strategies Could Better Resolve World Conflicts, won the Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution International Peace and Justice Book Award. Doug has also co-authored Sex, Politics & Religion at the Office and Peacemaking: Practicing at the Intersection of Law and Human Conflict. His upcoming book, The Empathy Edge: How Leading with Emotion Transforms Teams and Fuels Success, continues his exploration of emotion as a leadership advantage.

Education and Foundations

Douglas Noll graduated from Dartmouth College, earned his law degree from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, and completed a Master’s Degree in Peacemaking and Conflict Studies at Fresno Pacific University. This combination of legal training and academic study in conflict resolution underpins his practical, no-nonsense approach to peacemaking.

Book Douglas Noll for Your Event

When you book Douglas Noll for your event, you bring in a speaker who has faced conflict where it truly matters. His talks are calm, grounded, and deeply human, offering audiences clear frameworks for de-escalation, emotional regulation, and empathy-based leadership. Doug speaks to leaders, teams, and organizations seeking to reduce friction, restore trust, and handle difficult conversations with confidence. He lives in the Sierra Nevada foothills above Clovis, California, with his wife Aleya, continuing his lifelong work of helping people find peace in the midst of conflict.

Customer Reviews

Elizabeth Arris, LAc Licensed Acupuncturist

“Dear Doug, It was a great pleasure participating in your workshop at the New York Peace Institute last weekend. Many thanks for the insights. It made a great contribution to my understanding of the phenomenon of ‘disappearing’ emotionalism. I would very much like to receive Matthew Lieberman's article and also the list of emotions you referenced. Thank you in advance for sending them. I look forward to staying in touch. Perhaps the occasion will arise for us to work together on something. Warm regards,”

Allen J. Zerkin, JD Adjunct Professor of Public Administration, Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University

“Doug Noll is a dynamic plenary speaker and an outstanding workshop presenter. He combines his knowledge, experience and wit to engage the audience and receive their full attention and participation in his presentation. Doug received a 4.0 and a 3.7 respectively, out of a possible 4.0, for the plenary session and the conference workshop he presented at the Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution’s 18th Annual Conference. Exciting and highly imaginative, his presentations keep the audience riveted and expand their perspective and their understanding of the subject matter. Some of the statements received from the audience included: ‘engaging and uniquely informative,’ ‘dynamic speaker,’ ‘very funny,’ ‘excellent presentation,’ ‘one of the best sessions I have ever attended because of the quality and usefulness of the information presented.’”

Marvin E. Johnson Executive Director, Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution

“Doug Noll’s program on the Neuropsychology of Conflict was one of the highlights of the 20th Annual Fall Conference of Southern California Mediation Association in November 2008. His keen insights about brain structure and function provided a sound framework for understanding how people behave in conflict. Doug is one of the rare individuals who has the ability to translate highly sophisticated information into concepts that can be readily understood and immediately applied. His passion and knowledge of this subject combine with excellent communications skills to produce a highly informative and entertaining presentation that keeps the audience attention and asking for more. For anyone interested in resolving everyday problems with difficult people and conflicts, this is a presentation that you won't want to miss.”

Myer J. Sankary, Esq. President, Southern California Mediation Association Chair, 20th Annual SCMA Conference

“Doug, Thanks your talk on Ethics and Leadership (December 2008) was not only insightful but also pertinent. I am on the Calpelra planning committee and we would love to have you speak at our conference in Monterey.”

Mae Mull Director, Human Resources, Fresno Housing Authority

“Hi Doug: After I hung up yesterday, I saw your name among those in attendance at the MBB Congress at UCLA. I wanted to follow up just to say how much I really enjoyed your presentation yesterday. I've heard a lot of people talk about mediation, etc. However, very few have impressed me with your command of the brain research and how to incorporate that into practice. You're obviously a seasoned pro and I am grateful that you took the time and effort to prepare such an enlightening presentation. Next stop is Amazon to order your newest book.

Mark Soboslai

“Excellent. Thank you for another great program!” “Thank you! Thank you!” “You were wonderful and inspiring.” “Very powerful, well-taught program. Courageous presentation.”

Attendee evaluations Getting Unstuck: Understanding Emotional Barriers to Settlement, Sacramento, CA

[Your presentation] was really wonderful! Could have listened for a full day course. Excellent program! Thanks so much.

Joan Stearns Johnsen Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor, Albany Law & Justice Center

Doug Noll is one of the most powerful speakers and teachers I have ever seen. He has taken complex ideas from cognitive psychology and neuroscience, distilled the essence of what is important to us for de-escalating strong emotions in conflicts, and presented his ideas in an entertaining, easy-to-follow, and engaging manner.

Robert Creo Mediator

Keynotes

Keynote by Douglas Noll:

The Empathy Edge: Why Emotional Safety Is the New Competitive Advantage

How modern leaders build trust, loyalty, and high performance through empathy
Empathy isn’t soft. It’s strategic. Doug shows leaders how to operationalize empathy using his A.R.A. method, Acknowledge, Reflect, Ask, to create cultures of trust and engagement that drive measurable results.

Audience takeaways:

Why emotional safety outperforms authority in driving loyalty and innovation
How to apply the neuroscience of empathy in real-time conversations
A repeatable process for leading with calm under pressure

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Keynote by Douglas Noll:

Listening Others Into Existence: The Hidden Superpower of Great Leaders

How deep listening transforms culture, performance, and relationships
Most leaders don’t realize they listen to words instead of emotions. Doug teaches affect labeling—the practice of identifying and reflecting emotions, which instantly regulates nervous systems, defuses tension, and builds authentic connection.

Audience takeaways:

The difference between hearing, active listening, and emotional listening
How to create trust in seconds through affect labeling
How to use empathy to turn difficult conversations into breakthroughs

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Keynote by Douglas Noll:

How to Calm an Angry Person in 90 Seconds or Less

The science of emotional de-escalation for high-stakes situations
Drawing from his experience as a trial lawyer and peacemaker, Doug shares his step-by-step framework to calm anyone in under two minutes. Leaders, negotiators, and HR professionals will leave with tools that prevent conflict before it explodes.

Audience takeaways:

The neuroscience behind emotional hijacking
The counterintuitive way to de-escalate without agreeing or defending
How to restore calm, trust, and focus in any heated moment

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Keynote by Douglas Noll:

Leading Under Fire: Decision-Making and Emotional Mastery in Times of Stress

How elite leaders stay composed, think clearly, and lead wisely when it matters most
In this powerful session, Doug teaches how to regulate emotions, maintain cognitive control, and make high-stakes decisions under extreme pressure. He integrates neuroscience, behavioral science, and practical leadership tools for volatile environments.

Audience takeaways: