Key Facts
Education
Seattle University, J.D., 1985
University of Washington, B.A., 1982
Legal and Professional Associations
Association of Trial Lawyers of America (chair of the Motor Vehicle, Highway, and Premises Section, 2003-04)
Washington State Trial Lawyers Association, past president (2007-08)
Washington State Bar Association Executive Litigation Committee, chair (2008-09)
Professional Affiliations
Washington State Delegate Minority Affairs (2001-present)
American Board of Trial Advocacy (ABOTA) member
Biography
Karen Koehler, also known as the Velvet Hammer, is the Senior Managing Partner at Stritmatter Kessler Koehler Moore, a plaintiff trial law firm that exclusively handles catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, and civil rights cases. She is best known for achieving the landmark $123M verdict against Ride the Ducks in 2019. More recently, she secured a $3.5M settlement in the Estate of Charleena Lyles v. City of Seattle civil rights case and $3.327M verdict in the civil murder trial of Tim McNamara v Tracy Nessl.
She is the past president of the Washington State Association of Justice, past WSAJ Trial Lawyer of the Year and, the recipient of the National Melvin Belli Award in 2019.
She has lived in Seattle since the age of 4, has 3 children, 2 grandchildren and, a spaniel named Nala.
