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 energy spikes.
Karen talks candidly about how her body knows a trial is coming before her brain catches up, why she sleeps less, gets spicier, and becomes laser-focused weeks in advance. Mo breaks down how he prepares without overpreparing, why living inside the story matters more than scripts, and how artistic instincts shape trial work. Mike brings the jury perspective, including how lawyer dynamics and confidence land in the room.
They dig into overpreparing versus trusting your instincts, why some lawyers isolate, and others stay fully engaged in life, how antagonistic defense counsel can fuel preparation, and why juries need time to earn the fight.
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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 49: Decoding Voir Dire Part 5 | The Jury Selection Series
The final installment of our five-part Voir Dire series. Karen Koehler explains how to respectfully invite jurors to excuse themselves by honoring their moral convictions rather than attacking them. Mo Hamoudi explains why judges focus on what jurors say, not what lawyers argue, and how letting jurors talk themselves into a cause challenge is often the winning move. Mike Todd offers insight into what actually happens in deliberations and why silence, leadership, and thinking style matter more than most lawyers expect.
They also address Zoom voir dire pitfalls, the risk of silent jurors, and why there is no such thing as a perfect jury. Only the best one you can build in the time you are given.
If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share, and leave a review telling us which voir dire lesson took you the longest to learn.
🎧 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 48: Decoding Voir Dire Part 4 | The Jury Selection Series
Peremptory 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 Voir Dire series, Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi break down how peremptories actually work, why Batson challenges matter, and how bias, intuition, math, and psychology collide in real time. They talk through when peremptories protect access to fair juries, when they cross the line, and why stereotypes are both unavoidable and dangerous if you rely on them too much.
This episode digs into tactical counting, protected classes, juror psychology, and the uncomfortable truth that jurors often surprise you for better or worse. If you have ever thought jury selection was mechanical, this conversation quickly disabuses you of that idea.
🎧 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 47: Decoding Voir Dire Part 3 | The Jury Selection Series
In 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 selection can quietly decide the outcome before opening statements ever begin.
Karen walks through her damage model and the Starbucks bike scenario that exposes how jurors really think about pain, loss, and responsibility. Mo reflects on trial partner chemistry, Zoom voir dire, and the moment you realize your best juror is now an alternate.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube.
🎧 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 46: Decoding Voir Dire Part 2 | The Jury Selection Series
In 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 (and somehow remember who said what). Karen walks through the struck method, why “deselection” used to be the whole game, and how she color-codes jurors fast without a consultant. Mo shares why he learned about voir dire through bartending and why vulnerability is the fastest way to elicit honesty from a room full of strangers. They also get into the quiet power move most lawyers miss: actually responding like a human when a juror shares something devastating.
🎧 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 45: Decoding Voir Dire Part 1 | The Jury Selection Series
Karen 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 stand in front of a room full of strangers and start asking personal questions? From calling out bias to reading body language to deciding who stays and who goes, they break down the strategy and the chaos that shape a jury long before opening statements.
🎧 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: Live Podcast - The Velvet Hammers’ Journey through Bias, Marginalization, and Systemic Inequities
Recorded Live on December 2, 2025
1 Ethics Equity Credit - Please visit stritmatter.com/cle for Activity ID.
Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi bring their Velvet Hammer Podcast style to an important CLE. This program examines how bias, marginalization, and systemic inequities affect trial lawyers who are BIPOC in Washington State courts. Drawing on first-hand accounts, qualitative data, and professional experiences, Karen and Mo will explore how their lived experiences reflect broader structural and cultural barriers in legal communities and systems.
From courtroom dynamics to professional advancement, adversarial interactions to peer relationships, this seminar will illustrate how both explicit and implicit biases can shape reputations, work environment and outcomes. Highlighting RPC 8.4(g) (related to professional misconduct) and a lawyer’s ethical duty to promote fairness and integrity in the justice system.
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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 44: The Privilege of Sacrifice as a Trial Lawyer
In this episode of The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast, the group sits down with a simple question: Does being great at your work always require sacrifice?
Karen Koehler opens up about a career shaped by long hours, missed moments, and the constant pressure of leading high-stakes cases. She also names what often goes unsaid: the privilege of choosing sacrifice when so many workers never get that choice. Mo Hamoudi shares how sacrifice shaped him long before he ever stepped into a courtroom, and why he still wakes up before dawn to touch every case.
Together, they dig into burnout, identity, pace, and what happens when your drive becomes part of your wiring. They also admit a truth most people whisper about; at best, some lawyers can only function around others who work the same way.
If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and tell us your take. What sacrifice feels worth it to you, and which one will you never give up?
🎧 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 42: Mansplaining, Mo-Splaining, and the Space Between Talking and Listening
A heated phone call about “mansplaining” turns into a sharp, funny, and honest look at listening, ego, and the thin line between protecting and dominating.
Karen calls Mo out. Mo defends himself. Mike plays referee. Together they retrace the argument, name the habit (hello, “Mo-splaining”), and unpack why good intentions can still sound like lectures when you fill every silence with solutions. Sometimes the smartest move isn’t to fix—it’s to listen.
🎧 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 41: Anticipating the Loss - When Trial Lawyers Feel It Coming
When you’ve been in the courtroom long enough, you know the feeling. The slow, heavy dread of a case slipping away. In this episode of The Velvet Hammer™, Karen Koehler, Mo Hamoudi, and Mike Todd talk about what it’s like to sense a loss before it happens, both in trial and in life.
Karen revisits her 2022 trial against Seattle Children’s Hospital, where every ruling felt stacked against her. Mo shares lessons from his years as a death penalty defense lawyer and how shutting off emotion became a survival tactic. Karen challenges that mindset, arguing that emotion is part of what makes her human in court. Mike opens up about facing his own mortality during open-heart surgery and what it means to surrender control.
If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs steadiness under pressure, and leave a review telling us how you manage moments when the odds lean against you. Your story might help someone else keep going.
🎧 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 40: Misogyny, Patriarchy, and the Pain of “Mean Girls”
In this episode of The Velvet Hammer™, Mo asks the question most men avoid: “What is misogyny?” Karen, Mo, and Mike take it further, unpacking how patriarchy shapes the legal world and how internalized misogyny plays out between women. They talk about the quiet digs, the “sweetie” moments in court, and why women still send big cases to men they see as the “better trial lawyers.”
🎧 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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Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi debate the viral “Let Them” theory by Mel Robbins and whether it works in the real world of trial law. From self-help culture and quick-fix thinking to emotional intelligence, religion, and moral accountability, this episode breaks down what happens when “letting go” meets the practice of law.
Mo questions if “let them” is wisdom or avoidance, while Karen tests the idea against real courtroom dynamics, including what would happen if a lawyer actually “let them” in trial. Mike Todd joins to explore the line between healthy boundaries and abandoning responsibility, leading to one conclusion: trial lawyers don’t let them.
🎧 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 38: When Zoom Replaces Rooms – Navigating the Post-Pandemic Legal Practice
Karen Koehler, Mo Hamoudi, and Mike Todd tackle one of the most significant shifts in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic: the rise of remote everything. From depositions to jury selection to everyday office life, they unpack how the legal world changed when the world shut down.
Mo misses the energy of a bustling office, the conversations, the connection, and the shared purpose that only happen in person. Karen values the flexibility and efficiency of remote work, especially for routine legal tasks like depositions. Together, they explore how this shift reshaped trials, teams, office culture, and leadership, and what it means for the human side of law. Their verdict? The jury’s still out.
🎧 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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How do you respond when someone insults you? In this episode, Karen Koehler, Mo Hamoudi, and Mike Todd explore how their childhood experiences with insults shape their adult mechanisms.
Karen reflects on her mother’s “eye for an eye” parenting style, which shaped her fighter mentality. She shares how that mindset evolved into a professional strength, turning insults into strategy and sometimes using others’ underestimations to her advantage in the courtroom.
Mike's story takes a darker turn as he recounts a traumatic childhood incident where his father encouraged him to fight older bullies but then stood by watching as he was overwhelmed and beaten. This formative experience instilled both a protective instinct and a readiness to project strength when challenged.
As an immigrant child facing racial and cultural taunts, Mo developed yet another approach. Rather than immediate retaliation, he adopted a philosophy of patience: "Time is my vengeance." His chilling anecdote about confronting someone who had wronged a friend demonstrates how calm, measured responses can sometimes be more impactful than heated reactions.
It all raises the question: maybe “sticks and stones” got it wrong. Bones heal, but words seem to leave a mark that lasts.
🎧 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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In this episode, Karen Koehler starts with a client who was permanently disfigured and how fast the defense tried to dig through every corner of her life. From medical records to private history, nothing feels off-limits in discovery. Karen and Mo Hamoudi talk about how invasive that process can be, why lawyers need to know everything (even the parts that hurt to say out loud), and how to build trust with a total stranger when the stakes are personal.
They get into what it means to “cross the moat,” how lawyers can earn their way inside a client’s world without crossing boundaries, and why most of what defense lawyers dig up never even makes it to trial. Karen brings her Spock-level “mind-meld,” Mo brings bartender-level empathy, and Mike Todd reminds everyone that giving up control is what makes trust so hard 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.
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Episode 35: Unbound: A Woman’s Guide to Power Book Review
Karen Koehler, Mo Hamoudi, and Mike Todd review Unbound: A Woman’s Guide to Power by Kasia Urbaniak. They delve into the meanings of dominance, submission, and influence.
Karen Koehler shares her “I’m the boss” fridge purge, Mo Hamoudi explains how walking away from incongruence gave him agency, and Mike Todd reframes power as influence instead of control. Together, they demonstrate that power is about presence, effective communication, and recognizing your desires in work, life, and the courtroom.
This book may be written for women, but the insights apply to everyone.
🎧 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 34: Keeping Up with Karen
Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi debate the power of thinking on your feet versus slowing down to choose your words. Karen owns her “borderline manic” speed and explains how fast processing helps her pivot in court and keep juries engaged. Mo pushes back with the benefits of pausing for clarity. Mike Todd weighs in on how different brains process input during live questioning and why both styles can win with a jury.
This one is fast, short, and sweet.
🎧 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 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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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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 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.
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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 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.
Preparing for Trial
35:40
Decoding Voir Dire Part 5 | The Jury Selection Series
20:22
Decoding Voir Dire Part 4 | The Jury Selection Series
22:05
Decoding Voir Dire Part 3 | The Jury Selection Series
26:29
Decoding Voir Dire Part 2 | The Jury Selection Series
24:05
Decoding Voir Dire Part 1 | The Jury Selection Series
23:56
The Velvet Hammers’ Journey through Bias, Marginalization, and Systemic Inequities
1:04:00
The Privilege of Sacrifice as a Trial Lawyer
47:06
Mansplaining, Mo-Splaining, and the Space Between Talking and Listening
34:46
Anticipating the Loss - When Trial Lawyers Feel It Coming
41:23
Misogyny, Patriarchy, and the Pain of “Mean Girls”
29:49
Confronting the "Let Them" Philosophy: Trial Lawyers Debate Self-Help Culture
28:26
When Zoom Replaces Rooms – Navigating the Post-Pandemic Legal Practice
49:00
Sticks, Stones, and Strategic Responses: How We Handle Being Insulted
32:55
Crossing the Moat - Building Trust Between Attorneys and Clients
22:40
Unbound: A Woman’s Guide to Power Book Review
36:38
Keeping Up with Karen
18:48
The Rise of AI: Adapt or Die
37:20
How to Interview Clients and Win Juries
22:25
Protesting in America: Your Legal Rights Explained
51:33
Placing a Monetary Value on the Loss of a Good Life
42:58
The Penis Restraining Order
17:03
DEI, WAMs, and Legal Power Plays
39:18
Mo Tais in Maui - Hosting the 2025 WTLA Reception
19:15
Mastering the Art of Direct Examination
36:28