Karen Koehler Esq., J.D.

Trial Lawyer

Stritmatter

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.