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.

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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.

Episode 30: Placing a Monetary Value on the Loss of a "Good Life"

What constitutes a “good life,” and what happens when catastrophic events forever change its course? Karen Koehler reads an essay she wrote at 17 about what makes a good life and reflects on how her definition has evolved.

Mo Hamoudi shares a deeply personal story from his senior year of high school about basketball, a mother battling cancer, and an abusive stepfather. His account shows how early life experiences shape our understanding of others' suffering and the meaning of resilience.

Joined by Mike Todd, they explore how life's highs and lows influence what we value and how trial lawyers translate that into damages for clients whose lives have been permanently altered.

The discussion becomes a masterclass in advocacy, with Karen demonstrating how to channel a client's humanity in front of a jury and build a narrative arc that resonates on emotional, moral, and human levels. They unpack the role of life care plans, general damages, and authentic storytelling, and examine the balance between honoring resilience and acknowledging profound loss.

🎧 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 29 - The Penis Restraining Order - This episode includes discussion of sexual assault and explicit anatomical references. It contains mature content that may not be appropriate for all listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

Karen Koehler walks us through one of the most outrageous, unforgettable, and legally strategic motions she has ever filed: a request to restrain rapper Nelly’s penis. Yes, you read that right.

This episode is a wild ride, from the Kent courthouse to the press frenzy that followed, as Karen breaks down why she believed the request was legitimate, how the defense team reacted, and what it was like to stand before a judge and argue a motion no one saw coming. Mo Hamoudi and Mike Todd react in real time, going from disbelief to total admiration.

But behind the laughs is a serious point. How do you make sure the justice system addresses the harm of sexual violence when standard procedures feel inadequate? Karen flips the script by putting the alleged assailant’s body on notice and forces the defense to talk about it.

In the Press:

• ‘Enough was enough’: University of Washington student sues rapper Nelly over alleged rape in Auburn | The Seattle Times
• Nelly Rape Accuser Asks Judge To Issue Injunction Against Nelly's Penis | Law & Crime
• Lawyer seeks injunction against rapper's anatomy - KIRO 7 News Seattle

🎧 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 28: DEI, WAMs, and Legal Power Plays |

Karen Koehler shares the 2008 letter that shook up the American Association for Justice (AAJ), calling out its failure to address diversity in any meaningful way. The fallout was instant. She lost friends, made enemies, and set off a chain reaction that eventually pushed the organization to adopt a formal diversity plan.

Joined by Mo Hamoudi and Mike Todd, the trio breaks down what it takes to call out power from within. Karen confronts the reality of being a woman in a white male-dominated legal association, while Mo shares his own story of challenging performative DEI during his time at the Federal Public Defender. Mike weighs in on the backroom politics of change and how real reform often depends on who is even allowed to write a letter (and have it taken seriously) in the first place.

🎧 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 27: Mo Tais in Maui – Hosting the 2025 WTLA Reception

What happens when Karen offers up her Hawaiian home for a trial lawyer party... and forgets she did it? In this episode, Karen and Mo break down the chaos, comedy, and creativity behind hosting 80 trial attorneys in her backyard during the Western Trial Lawyers Association Conference.

From last-minute Costco runs and signature cocktail prep (yes, Mo bartended) to windstorms knocking over tables and the President of WSAJ stepping in as the official Jell-O shot girl, this episode is sure to make you laugh.

🎧 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 26: Mastering the Art of Direct Examination

What separates a good trial lawyer from a great one? Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi unpack what makes a direct examination persuasive, from reading the jury’s body language to deciding when to provoke or disarm a hostile witness. They share real trial stories, including moments where everything went off-script and the only way to save the case was by adapting on the fly.

Forget rigid outlines and rehearsed testimony. Karen explains why she now preps plaintiffs like an Oprah interview instead of a legal exam, and why keeping their testimony short often works better. Mo brings in his acting background to show how body language and proximity can build trust. They also dive into the gender dynamics of trial, and why female attorneys face a different standard when navigating authority and emotion in the courtroom.

🎧 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.