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The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast

The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast

By: Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi
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About this listen

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.

© 2025 The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast Economics Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Decoding Voir Dire Part 2 | The Jury Selection Series

    Decoding Voir Dire Part 2 | The Jury Selection Series
    Dec 17 2025

    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.

    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.

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    24 mins
  • Decoding Voir Dire Part 1 | The Jury Selection Series

    Decoding Voir Dire Part 1 | The Jury Selection Series
    Dec 10 2025

    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.

    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.

    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
  • The Velvet Hammers’ Journey through Bias, Marginalization, and Systemic Inequities

    The Velvet Hammers’ Journey through Bias, Marginalization, and Systemic Inequities
    Dec 3 2025

    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.

    🎧 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.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 4 mins
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