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 the obstruction for what it is: a total waste of time and a deliberate attempt to bury the truth.

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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.

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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. The defense characterizes it as a swinger lifestyle. Prosecutors describe it as systematic exploitation. Combs faces charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution. The evidence is damning. Surveillance footage shows violent abuse. Witnesses describe drug-fueled “freak-offs” lasting for days. Federal raids uncovered weapons, drugs, and thousands of bottles of lubricant.

Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi explore the concept of psychological coercion and how power dynamics can erase any real possibility of consent. When someone controls access to fame, money, and opportunity, even an invitation can feel like a threat. Add blackmail, physical abuse, and drugging to the mix, and the defense’s narrative of consensual activity falls apart.

🎧 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.

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 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 a plaintiff lawyer.

Karen challenges him: “Money is not a dirty word. If you're embarrassed about it, the jury will feel it. The defense will see it. And your client will lose.”

Together, they unpack how the civil justice system forces us to put a price on the unthinkable, like the loss of a child. “When you say a child’s loss is worth nothing, you destroy the very idea of what it means to love unconditionally.”

They also delve into the power dynamics within the plaintiff bar. The more money you have, the harder you are to wear down. And the more seriously you’re taken.

Mo’s working to reframe his relationship with money. Not as betrayal. But as fuel for justice. Karen thinks he’s about 20 percent there. And that’s better than zero.

🎧 Listen to Episode 23: “Confronting the Money Taboo in Plaintiff Work”
Watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

🎧 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.

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.