How do I know when to fight or settle for my client?

You can negotiate a fair deal now. What is hard is the judgment call underneath it: when to press the fight and when the fight itself is costing your client more than the win is worth. That is one of the finest skills in your work, and it is hard precisely because there is no formula, only weighing. The question that cuts through is simple: what does your client actually need, not what would feel like victory to you. Sometimes the fight serves their real interest, and sometimes it serves your pride or the other side's game while draining their money, time, and peace. Keep asking whether one more push moves them toward the life they want, or just toward being right. In your next case, before each escalation, pause and ask whether this step serves your client or the fight itself. Let their true interest be the compass, not the momentum of combat. You are learning the wisdom that separates a good advocate from a great one: knowing that the goal is the client's good, not the thrill of winning.