Karen K. Koehler

Nicknamed “The Velvet Hammer™” by some of her adversaries, Karen is known for her creativity, tenacity and trial skills. Few plaintiff attorneys try more cases than Karen. Success in the courtroom means that Karen enjoys a strong reputation with insurance companies and corporate defendants who would rather opt to value cases properly for settlement instead of risk going to trial against her. She is listed as a Top 10 Super Lawyer in Washington State, only the second woman in the state recognized as such.

A mother of three school-age daughters, she has a particular place in her heart for representing families who have lost loved ones due to intentional or negligent acts. Among those cases is Kime v. City of Seattle, a wrongful death settlement for Kristopher Kime’s family that found the city responsible for enhancing the danger of the 2001 Seattle Mardi Gras. She has been honored to represent many people and families who have needed help in holding others accountable for preventable harmful acts. And she has been privileged to see laws changed because of the stories of clients whom she has represented.

Karen is a prolific speaker and writer, an author of nationally published legal treatises and an adjunct professor at the University of Washington School of Law.

She has also gained national and local recognition from many, including the American Bar Association for maintaining a Top 100 “Blawg.” Since 2011, Karen’s blog has beenlisted as the top Trial Practice/Litigation Blawg by ABA. Check out a Super Lawyers interview of Karen about her Velvet Hammer™ blog. Like her work as a top personal injury attorney, her extraordinary blog has captured the attention of many. Read a recent profile on Karen featured in the local Bar Bulletin.

In addition to serving as President of the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association (2007-08), she has held leadership positions in the American Association of Justice. A member of the America Board of Trial Advocates, she is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, regularly listed as a Super Lawyer and a top 40 personal injury lawyer by Washington Law & Politics Magazine.

Outside the Office

Karen loves to snow ski and rollerblade, and she runs every day.

• Seattle University, J.D., 1985

• University of Washington, B.A., 1982

• Top Trial Practice Blawg, American Bar Association, 2011, 2012
• Trial Lawyer of the Year, Washington State Trial Lawyers Association*, 2005
• President’s Award, Washington State Trial Lawyers Association*, 2003
• The Best Lawyers in America – 2006 – Present
• Super Lawyer – Washington Law & Politics Magazine, present
• Top 40 Personal Injury Super Lawyer – Washington Law & Politics Magazine, present
• Top 50 Female Super Lawyer – Washington Law & Politics Magazine, present
• Top 100 Super Lawyer – Washington Law & Politics Magazine, present
• Top 500 Lawyers in America – Law Dragon Magazine, 2007
• Rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell
• American Board of Trial Advocates, 2006 – present

• Spinal Cord Injury Association of WA (SCIAW)
  • Executive Director and President 2010 to present
• Washington Association for Justice (formerly Washington State Trial Lawyers Association)
  • President 2007-2008
  • President Elect 2006-2007
  • Board of Governors 8th District Representative 1999-2000
  • Vice President Membership 2000-2001
  • Vice President Continuing Legal Education 2001-2002
  • Vice President Public Affairs 2002-2003
  • Vice President Development 2003-2004
  • 2nd Vice President Legislative 2004-2005
  • Vice President Legislative 2005-2006
  • Vice Chair Insurance Section 2000-2001
  • Chair Insurance Section 2001-2002
  • Chair Law School Advocacy Committee 1999-2006
  • Member Legislative Steering Committee 2000-present
  • Member Diversity Committee 2000-present
  • Member Technology Committee 2000-2002
  • Member Executive Committee 2002-present
  • Member CLE Committee 2001-2011
• American Association of Justice
  • Chair Motor Vehicle, Highway, and Premises Section 2003-2004
    • Chair elect Motor Vehicle, Highway, and Premises Section 2002-2003
  • Vice-chair Motor Vehicle, Highway, and Premises Section 2001-2002
  • Washington State Delegate Minority Affairs 2001-present
  • Washington State Delegate 2008
  • Member Insurance, Motor Vehicle, Civil Rights Sections
  • Member Insurance Bad Faith Litigation Group
  • AAJ Board Member
  • Co-chair AAJ Spinal Cord Injury Litigation Group
  • Executive Committee member – AAJ Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group
• Washington State Bar Association
  • Chair Executive Litigation Committee 2008-2009
  • Vice Chair Executive Litigation Committee 2007- 2008
  • Secretary/Treasurer Executive Litigation Committee 2005 – 2007
  • Member Executive Litigation Committee 2002-2005
  • Member Consumer Protection Committee 2001-present
  • Member Litigation Section
• Scribes (society of legal writers), member
• American Board of Trial Advocates (invitation only), member
• Listed as one of the 2009 Best Lawyers in America

2014

• Big Picture Little Details
  • Wyoming AJ Annual Conf, Des Moines, Iowa
• Use of Technology at Trial to Enhance Your Case
  • WSBA Litigation CLE
• Luvera Seminar moderator
  • WSAJ 2014 Annual Convention
• Harnessing you power
  • WSAJ Women’s Retreat

2013

• Voir Dire
  • WSBA Trial Advocacy CLE
• Building the Vocational Damages Case
  • WSAJ Auto Seminar
• Persuasive Powerpoint at Trial
  • Vancouver, BC Trial Lawyers Ass’n
• Persuasive Powerpoint at Trial
  • Vermont Trial Lawyers Association
• Big Picture Little Details
  • WYTLA Convention Laramie, Wyoming
• Using Metaphors, Allegories & Similes in Closing
  • Belli Seminar, San Franciso
• Persuasive Powerpoint at Trial
  • AAJ Annual Convention
• Traumatic Brain Injury & Spinal Cord Injuries
  • AAJ Annual Convention
• Using Metaphors, Allegories & Similes in Closing
  • Nevada Trial Lawyer Association (hosted in Seattle)
• Persuasive Powerpoint at Trial
  • Colorado Annual Convention
• Opening Statement
  • WSBA Trial Advocacy Program
• Persuasive Powerpoint at Trial
  • Vancouver B.C. Trial Lawyers Association

2012

• Opening Statement
  • WSBA Trial Advocacy Program
• Persuading Jurors with Moral Arguments
  • North Dakota Assn for Justice Boardwalk Seminar
• De Ben Esse Deposition of Your Treating Physician
  • New Jersey Assn for Justice Boardwalk Seminar
• Trial Practice
  • Montana Trial Lawyers Association
• Proving Invisible Traumatic Brain Injuries
  • AAJ Phoenix midwinter convention

2011

• Traumatic brain injury and preexisting conditions
  • Annual Convention
• Opening Statement
  • WSBA Trial Advocacy Program
• Understanding Diverse Cultures Perspective on Emotional Injury and Consortium Claims
  • WSAJ Annual Convention
• Persuasive brain injury trial techniques
  • Utah Association for Justice
• Traumatic brain injury and preexisting conditions
  • Annual Convention
• Polarizing the brain injury case
  • AAJ Brain Injury Seminar Atlanta
• Demonstration: Overcoming Defense Themes & Tactics in Opening
  • AAJ Annual Convention
• Valuation and Life Expectancy in Spinal Cord Injury Cases
  • AAJ Annual Convention
• And then the Jury Clapped: How to Present Extremely Demonstrative Evidence.
  • AAJ Annual Convention

2010

• Opening Statement
  • Washington State Bar Association
• Extremely demonstrative evidence
  • Washington State Association for Justice
• Refocusing the jury in voir dire
  • Washington State Association for Justice
• Morality based closing arguments
  • Trial Stars in New York
• Messaging – turning weaknesses into strengths
  • Trial Lawyers of the Year CLE
• Morality based closing argument
  • Arizona Trial Lawyers Association
• Plaintiff closing argument – demonstration in brain injury case
  • American Association for Justice
• Discovery in UIM insurance bad faith
  • American Association for Justice
• Ethical dilemmas in traumatic brain injury cases
  • American Association for Justice

2009

• Closing argument in a car crash case
  • Washington State Association for Justice
• Objectifying the plaintiff’s case: visual images that make a difference
  • Idaho Convention
• Keynote speaker: our inspirational clients
  • Idaho Convention
• How to try a case without a focus group
  • Belli Seminar San Francisco
• Closing argument
  • AAJ Las Vegas
• Maximizing damages in inadequate security cases
  • AAJ Convention
• Closing argument
  • AAJ Convention

2008

• E-trial 101
  • WSAJ
• Objectifying the Plaintiff’s Case
  • Vancouver TLA
• PowerPoint – Objectifying the Plaintiff’s Case
  • National Webinar
• Voir Dire
  • King County Bar Association
• Objectifying the Plaintiff’s Case in Trial
  • Iowa Trail Lawyers Convention
• Art of Advocacy
  • Idaho School of Law
• Representing Minorities in the Court Room – Voir Dire
  • AAJ Convention
• Fighting Protective Orders in Insurance Bad Faith Cases
  • AAJ

2007

• Objectifying plaintiff’s case at trial
  • Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association convention
• Powerpoint revolution
  • WSTLA
• Videotape deposition of the insurance adjuster
  • WSTLA
• “Crash”
  • WSAJ
• Maximizing Powerpoint to objectify the plaintiff’s case
  • Trial Smith webinar
• Plaintiff Direct Exam
  • National Webinar
• Witness preparation – lay and expert witnesses
  • American Association of Justice midyear convention
• Overcoming insurance defense tactics
  • American Association of Justice

2006

• Battling the “Tencer” defense
  • WSTLA
• New Important Laws – Ethel Adams
  • WSTLA
• Electronic medial and visual aids at oral argument
  • WSBA
• The elements of litigation – chair
  • WSBA
• Voir Dire
  • WSBA
• Calculating and proving damages
  • NBI
• How the case of Ethel Adams changed the law
  • Marvin Belli Seminar
• Litigating major auto injury and death cases
  • Idaho Trial Lawyers Association
• Handling the minority plaintiff case
  • American Association of Justice convention
• Battling the comparative fault defense
  • American Association of Justice Convention
• Voir Dire
  • American Association of Justice

2005

• Persuading a hostile jury
  • Wyoming Trial Lawyer Association
• Creative pretiral strategic moves
  • WSTLA
• Summation
  • WSTLA
• Maters in Trial Program
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
• expert biomechanic
  • American Association of Justice midyear convention
• Perpetuating the treating doctor by videotape
  • American Association of Justice convention
• Preparing your client for deposition
  • American Association of Justice

2004

• Strategies for seeking damages in wrongful death and survival cases
  • WSTLA
• Opening Statement
  • WSBA
• Mock trial with technology
  • Seattle University Law School
• Depositions & testimony – surviving on the stand
  • Mental Health Professional’s People’s Law School
• Opening statement in an MTV generation
  • Iowa Trial Lawyers Association
• Convincing the jury of probable needs
  • American Association of Justice midyear convention
• Trial techniques
  • American Association of Justice convention
• Colossus computer software
  • American Association of Justice
• Cross exam of an expert – with David Ball
  • American Association of Justice
• Litigating auto cases – juries, damages and discovery
  • American Association of Justice

2003

• Voire dire and cross exam of the defense medical examiner
  • WSTLA convention
• Litigating with Farmers insurance
  • WSTLA
• Arguing Liability
  • WSTLA
• Opening Statement
  • WSBA
• Colossus insurance computer software
  • Wisconsin Trial Lawyers Association convention
• Colossus insurance computer software
  • San Jose Trial Lawyers Association
• Colossus and how to litigate motor vehicle cases
  • San Diego trial lawyers association
• Powerpoint in opening and closing
  • Melvin Belli seminar
• Colossus insurance computer software
  • Colorado trial lawyers blockbuster seminar
• Case of Kristopher Kime
  • American Association of Justice convention
• Colossus insurance computer software
  • American Association of Justice convention
• Alternative theories in insurance bad faith cases
  • American Association of Justice convention

• Preparing for Depositions
  • DVD

• Adjunct Professor trial advocacy University of Washington Law School 2005 – present