Episode 33: The Rise of AI: Adapt or Die

Karen, Mo, and Mike dive into the question every lawyer and law firm is facing: what do we do with AI? Karen breaks down how the firm is already using it, from med-mal intake summaries that used to take months to Westlaw AI, Adobe, Teams, and Smokeball’s Archie. Mo isn’t sold, warning about what we lose when we hand over thinking and human connection to machines. Mike weighs in from the trenches of audio, video, and music licensing, where AI is already rewriting the rules.

Let us know - have you started using AI in your practice, and if so, how?

🎧 Stay Connected with The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast

Hosted by Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi, trial lawyers at Stritmatter Law, a nationally recognized plaintiff personal injury and civil rights law firm based in Washington State.

Produced by Mike Todd, Audio & Video Engineer, and Kassie Slugić, Executive Producer.

Watch full episodes on YouTube
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok & Facebook
📬 Questions or topic ideas? Email us at thevelvethammerpodcast@stritmatter.com

🔥 New episodes every Wednesday
Subscribe for bold takes, heartfelt moments, and the unfiltered reality of what it means to live and lead as a trial lawyer at Stritmatter Law.

Episode 32: How to Interview Clients and Win Juries

In this episode of The Velvet Hammer™, Karen Koehler, Mo Hamoudi, and Mike Todd dig into one of the most overlooked skills as a trial lawyer: the client interview. This is not just about filling out intake forms. Karen shares why she spends hours with clients before even asking about the incident and how those conversations create the foundation for damages storytelling.

They explore how to go beyond surface-level questions and reach a place where clients feel seen and understood. Karen explains why juries distrust “perfect” people, how to get ahead of biases, and why embracing flaws and adversity makes for stronger narratives.

This episode is a blueprint for any lawyer who wants to connect deeply with clients and craft stories that resonate with juries.

🎧 Stay Connected with The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast

Hosted by Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi, trial lawyers at Stritmatter Law, a nationally recognized plaintiff personal injury and civil rights law firm based in Washington State.

Produced by Mike Todd, Audio & Video Engineer, and Kassie Slugić, Executive Producer.

Watch full episodes on YouTube
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok & Facebook
📬 Questions or topic ideas? Email us at thevelvethammerpodcast@stritmatter.com

🔥 New episodes every Wednesday
Subscribe for bold takes, heartfelt moments, and the unfiltered reality of what it means to live and lead as a trial lawyer at Stritmatter Law.

Episode 31: Protesting in America: Your Legal Rights Explained

Seattle recently saw 70,000 people take to the streets during the No Kings March, and Karen, Mo, and Mike are here to talk about what it means to exercise your right to protest. From Westlake Mall to Capitol Hill, they break down where you can legally assemble, what happens when protests cross into civil disobedience, and how politics shape whether rules get enforced at all.

Mo steps into the “public defender” role, laying out the constitutional protections for peaceful assembly, while Karen pushes back on law and order interpretations and calls out the messy reality of protest policing. They dig into Black Lives Matter, counter protests, government double standards, and the fine line between peaceful and non-peaceful action.

They do not shy away from the uncomfortable questions. Do anger and disruption drive change more than civility? Why do some movements get embraced while others get shut down fast? And what risks are you willing to take for a cause you believe in?

🎧 Stay Connected with The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast

Hosted by Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi, trial lawyers at Stritmatter Law, a nationally recognized plaintiff personal injury and civil rights law firm based in Washington State.

Produced by Mike Todd, Audio & Video Engineer, and Kassie Slugić, Executive Producer.

Watch full episodes on YouTube
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok & Facebook
📬 Questions or topic ideas? Email us at thevelvethammerpodcast@stritmatter.com

🔥 New episodes every Wednesday
Subscribe for bold takes, heartfelt moments, and the unfiltered reality of what it means to live and lead as a trial lawyer at Stritmatter Law.