The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast

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 ...

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 windstorm...

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 ...

Episode 25: Amazon's Dirty Discovery Tactics

Amazon dropped a steaming pile of objections to discovery responses and Karen and Mo are not having it. In this episode of The Velvet Hammer™, they unpack Amazon’s absurd responses to basic discovery requests, like refusing to identify their experts or disclose insurance. Karen compares it to getting “pooped on from the sky,” and Mo brings out his alter ego, Ruthless Mo, to call out ...

Episode 24: Sean Combs on Trial: Jury Out For Deliberation

As the jury deliberates in the explosive federal case against Sean “Diddy” Combs, attorneys Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi break down the charges, evidence, and legal strategies that make this trial a pivotal moment in shaping our understanding of consent, power, and accountability.

Behind the glamorous facade of celebrity parties lies something much more sinister. Th...

Episode 23: Confronting the Money Taboo in Plaintiff Work

What happens when you’ve spent your whole life avoiding money, and now your entire job is to ask for it in the name of justice?

In this episode, Mo Hamoudi opens up about how childhood poverty and betrayal shaped a deep discomfort with money. He was taken advantage of by people who claimed to care about him. He learned early on that money could be a weapon. And then he became ...

Episode 22: Post-Settlement Syndrome 

In this episode of The Velvet Hammer™, Karen and Mo talk about the emotional crash that hits when you’re “all dressed up and nowhere to party.” Karen calls it post-settlement syndrome. The adrenaline is still pumping, but there’s no fight. They unpack what it feels like when justice is close enough to taste, but the public reckoning never happens. Mike compares it to being robbed of your moment ...

Episode 21: The Archetypes That Drive Us in Life and Law

Have you ever noticed how you show up differently depending on the room you're in? In this episode, Karen, Mo, and Mike explore the inner archetypes that shape our thoughts, work, and connections, particularly in the world of trial law.

Karen reflects on her transformation from Disco Karen to Martha Stewart Karen to Trial Karen, each persona tied to survival, tradition, lo...

Episode 20: Karen Koehler on Leadership Challenges in Managing a Law Firm

Can being too humble hold you back?

Karen opens up about her leadership style, one that prioritizes team praise over personal recognition, and the unintended downside of deflecting credit. Mo and Mike delve into how humility, when taken to an extreme, can blur the lines between authority and respect.

Together, they explore the tension between wanting respect but...

🎙️ Episode 19: The Punk Move: When Abusers Use SLAPP suits to Silence Survivors

What happens when the accused turns around and sues the person making the accusation? Karen and Mo dive into the disturbing rise of SLAPP suits — lawsuits filed by powerful defendants to intimidate, drain, and silence sexual abuse survivors.

These lawsuits are calculated moves designed to scare survivors into silence by weaponizing th...

Episode 18: The Art of Driving Defense Lawyers Crazy

In this episode of The Velvet Hammer™ podcast, Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi break down the tactics that send defense lawyers into a spiral and explain why that’s not only strategic but also necessary.

Welcome to the “Flim Flam Sauce”, the unapologetic art of getting under opposing counsel’s skin without ever crossing a line. From the perfectly executed “head fake” (where you let yo...

Episode 17: Goal Setting, Dreams, and the People Who Shape Them

In this episode of The Velvet Hammer™ podcast, Karen, Mo, and Mike dive into the raw, reflective, and often uncomfortable goal-setting process. What is the real difference between a dream and a goal, and what happens when your deepest values get in the way of both? Karen shares the personal letter she wrote ahead of the firm’s attorney retreat, sparking a conversation a...

Episode 16: In Defense of Flip-Flopping: Why Adaptability Matters in Law

Karen Koehler opens up about her so-called "flip-flopping," her tendency to change her mind, and reframes it as one of her greatest strengths. From trial tactics to law firm management, she explains how adaptability and quick pivots are crucial in high-stakes litigation. 

Mo Hamoudi and podcast producer Mike Todd,  jump in to discuss what it’...

Episode 15:  Why We Suck at Celebrating Wins 

It’s been a week of big wins. Sanctions against Amazon. Settlements in multiple cases. Momentum heading into trial. And yet, instead of celebrating, Karen and Mo are back in the office...working? 

In this episode, Karen and Mo (and Mike) talk honestly about the emotional highs and nonstop pressure of doing plaintiff work at the highest level. From courtroom takedowns to the rush of contro...

Episode 14: Why Trial Lawyers Must Talk About Money (Even When It’s Uncomfortable)

Is money the most uncomfortable topic in the courtroom? For many trial lawyers, yes. But when it comes to representing injured clients, avoiding money talk is not an option. 

In this candid episode, Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi talk about what it really means to ask for money in court. They explore why trial lawyers often feel shame or awkwar...

Episode 13: Karen’s Journal Entry at 19: Crisis is Perpetual

At 19, Karen wrote a stream of consciousness that no one had ever read. Until now. In this episode, she shares that handwritten journal entry and opens up a conversation with Mo about identity, ambition, burnout, and what it means to be a lawyer who feels deeply.

They talk about the pressure to conform, the toll of suppressing emotion in the legal world, and how writing has...

Episode 12: What Compels Us to Become Lawyers 

Content note: This episode includes discussion of domestic violence, trauma, and mental health challenges, including suicidal ideation. Please take care while watching.

Karen reads a college essay she wrote at 18, predicting her future as a civil rights lawyer. Mo shares his contrasting journey through trauma, poverty, and survival. Together they explore what drives someone to ...

Episode 11: The Unlikeable Client

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of domestic violence, including descriptions of abuse. Please listen with care.

What happens when your client isn’t someone a jury might naturally root for? In this episode, Karen and Mo dive into one of the hardest parts of plaintiff law: working with clients who the public might not find sympathetic. From pulling a client out of a drug house before ...

Episode 12: Sanctions, Sanctions, Sanctions – Read All About It

In this episode of The Velvet Hammer™, Karen and Mo dive into the wild world of sanctions. What they are, why they matter, and how defense firms push the limits. Karen starts with her first sanctions victory in the 90s, then they walk through three recent cases. 

They also break down how power structures inside law firms impact who takes the fall and why some judges are ...