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The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast
Trial lawyers can be real people, too—and this podcast proves it. The Velvet Hammer™ is back, and this time, Karen Koehler isn’t going it alone. Known for her fearless advocacy, bold storytelling, and, yes, even the occasional backwards dress moment, Karen is teaming up with Mo Hamoudi, a lawyer, poet, and storyteller whose empathy and resilience add a whole new dynamic to the show.
Together, they’re pulling back the curtain on trial law, diving into bold topics, heartfelt stories, and the messy, hilarious moments that make trial lawyers human. This is an unscripted, raw, and fun take on life inside—and outside—the courtroom.
Episodes
186 episodes
The start of a trial
Episode 18: The start of a trialIn this episode of The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast, Karen Koehler, Mo Hamoudi, and Mike Todd talk about Karen and Mo starting a new trial. What goes through their heads as they prepare and...
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Lawyer Burnout and How It Can Affect Clients
Episode 17: Lawyer Burnout and How It Can Affect ClientsThis is Part 3 of a three-part series on mental and physical health for trial lawyers.In this episode of The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast, Karen Koehler, Mo Hamoudi...
Mental Health and Burnout in Trial Law
Episode 16: Mental Health and Burnout in Trial LawThis is Part 2 of a three-part series on mental and physical health for trial lawyers.Trial lawyers are trained to push through. Keep going. Don’t show weakness. So ...
The Need to Take Care of Yourself in the Practice of Law
Season 6, Episode 15: The need to take care of yourself in the practice of lawThis is Part 1 of a three-part series on mental and physical health for trial lawyers.Karen, Mo, and Mike discuss the need for mental and physical h...
Lemon Pound cake and Afroman
Episode 14Karen, Mo and Mike discuss the Afroman trial.🎧 Stay Connected with The Velvet Hammer™ PodcastHosted by Karen Koehler <...
Why AI is not your lawyer
Karen, Mo and Mike discuss the urge to use the internet instead of using a lawyer and the pitfalls that can arise.
Establishing Vicarious Liability Against Amazon in Delivery Driver Lawsuits
Recorded Live on March 24, 2026 Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi bring their Velvet Hammer Podcast style to another important CLE. Learn why you should not take Amazon’s word for how much insurance is available in a delivery crash case....
When Clients Google Their Lawsuit and It Backfires
Episode 11: When Clients Google Their Lawsuit and It Backfires Your first instinct after a diagnosis or a sudden injury is to open Google or an AI tool and start researching. It feels responsible. It feels like control.
To Take or Not to Take A Case
Episode 10: To Take or Not to Take A CaseHow do lawyers decide which cases to take and which ones they have to turn away?In this episode of The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast, Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi discuss case sele...
Sanctions, Sexism, and Gender Bias in the Courtroom
Episode 9: Sanctions, Sexism, and Gender Bias in the Courtroom A judge issued a sanctions order against a plaintiff attorney. But this was not about missed deadlines or discovery disputes. It was about gender bias, prof...
What Legal Dramas Get Wrong About Real Trials
Season 6, Episode 8: What Legal Dramas Get Wrong About Real TrialsWhat do legal dramas get completely wrong about the courtroom?Karen Koehler, Mo Hamoudi, and Mike Todd take on Law and Order, The Wire, John Grisham movies, ...
Renée Good ICE Shooting and Independent Autopsy Developments
Season 6, Episode 7: Renée Good ICE Shooting and Independent Autopsy Developments In this episode, we return to the case of Renée Good, who was fatally shot by ICE in Minnesota, a case we originally broke down in
When Defense Surveillance Crosses The Line
In this episode of The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast, Karen Koehler, Mo Hamoudi, and Mike Todd unpack a real case in which a Somali client and a paralegal were followed after a defense medical exam on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. What initiall...
The ACLU Lawsuit Challenging ICE’s Operation Metro Surge
Season 6, Episode 5: The ACLU Lawsuit Challenging ICE’s Operation Metro SurgeA young Somali American U.S. citizen is tackled and detained by ICE in Minnesota, then later pepper-sprayed while filming a protest. That moment becomes ...
The Reality of Work-Life Balance for Trial Lawyers
Season 6, Episode 4: The Reality of Work-Life Balance for Trial Lawyers What does “work-life balance” actually look like for trial lawyers? In this episode, Kare...
Power: Who Holds It And Who Doesn’t
Season 6, Episode 3: Power: Who Holds It And Who Doesn’tIn this episode, Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi go head-to-head on whether power is real or an illusion, and why that question matters when your client has none. From courtroom...
Legal Breakdown of the ICE Minnesota Shooting
Season 6, Episode 2: Legal Breakdown of the ICE Minnesota ShootingIn this episode, Karen Koehler, Mo Hamoudi, and Mike Todd examine the January 7, 2026, fatal ICE shooting in Minnesota that resulted in the dea...
Preparing for Trial
Episode 1: Preparing for Trial Season six opens with Karen Koehler, Mo Hamoudi, and Mike Todd discussing the emotional and physical shift that happens when a trial is coming. The sleep changes. The aggression sharpens. The en...
Decoding Voir Dire Part 5 | The Jury Selection Series
Episode 49: Decoding Voir Dire Part 5 | The Jury Selection SeriesThe final installment of our five-part Voir Dire series. Karen Koehler explains how to respectfully invite jurors to excuse themselves by honoring their moral convic...
Decoding Voir Dire Part 4 | The Jury Selection Series
Episode 48: Decoding Voir Dire Part 4 | The Jury Selection SeriesPeremptory strikes look simple on paper. In practice, they are among the most strategic and controversial aspects of jury selection.In Part 4 of the Decoding ...
Decoding Voir Dire Part 3 | The Jury Selection Series
Episode 47: Decoding Voir Dire Part 3 | The Jury Selection SeriesIn Part 3 of our voir dire series, Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi break down what happens when a politically charged case collides with real human bias, and why jury s...
Decoding Voir Dire Part 2 | The Jury Selection Series
Episode 46: Decoding Voir Dire Part 2 | The Jury Selection SeriesIn Part 2 of our five-part jury selection series, Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi break down what really happens when you get 20 minutes to talk to 50 to 60 jurors (an...
Decoding Voir Dire Part 1 | The Jury Selection Series
Episode 45: Decoding Voir Dire Part 1 | The Jury Selection SeriesKaren Koehler and Mo Hamoudi kick off a five-part deep dive into voir dire with the question everyone secretly has. What are trial lawyers actually doing when they ...
The Velvet Hammers’ Journey through Bias, Marginalization, and Systemic Inequities
Episode: Live Podcast - The Velvet Hammers’ Journey through Bias, Marginalization, and Systemic InequitiesRecorded Live on December 2, 2025 1 Ethics Equity Credit - Please visit stritmatter.com/cle for Activity ID.