Dealing with Death Wednesday - a tirade
Dealing with Death Wednesday - a tirade

Yesterday night Noelle didn't come home.  I worried about her.  Even though I figured she was staying at her friend Leda's house.  Noelle is 19.  Old enough to think that she doesn't have to check in every single minute of the day with me.  I have a hard time with that. Cristina and Alysha, her older sisters, know that 19 is not my magic cut off number.  Because I still call them and ask where they are every single day as well.

Today am working on two different cases where two kids Noelle's age, didn't come home ever again.  Here's the story of one of them.

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Karen Koehlercar accident, insurance, wrongful death
Pollyanna goes to business school: Lawyernomics 2013
Pollyanna goes to business school: Lawyernomics 2013

Back when I was an  defense lawyer, this is how the firm got business.  The partners golfed with, rubbed shoulders at clubs with, went golfing and to four star dinners with insurance and corporate key persons.  The firm maintained these relationships and periodically was able to build a new relationship with yet another company.  These relationships could last for decades.

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Karen Koehlerlegal marketing, lawyer seminar
Diary of a mediation in Spokane
Diary of a mediation in Spokane

The alarm is ringing.  Try to ignore it, but know cannot.  Look at the phone/clock and it is 4:30.  As in a.m.  Put on ugly red glasses.  Only wear them when no one can see me.  Like now.  Lie there til 4:45.  Finally jump up because  have to make a plane.  Open the drapes.  There is a gigantic full moon that seems to be shining a path across puget sound right into my bedroom.

Rush around. Put on black clothing.  Tell Nala to get up.  Out the door.  Drop her at doggie daycare.  Make it to the airport by 6.  Stand in sluggish security line.  Even the special Spokane shuttle line is clogged.  No worries.  Have time to get a scone and bottle of water from D'Lish.

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Karen Koehlerlawyer life, lawyer schedule, traveling lawyer, mediation
Trial Cross of a defense neurosurgeon: using paper cups, water and a raincoat
Trial Cross of a defense neurosurgeon: using paper cups, water and a raincoat

Prologue: Plaintiff had back surgery.  She had returned to work only just the past week, when she was hit hard by a bad driver.  Ultimately she needed a second surgery due to the crash.  The bad driver admitted fault and her company paid.  But she didn't have enough insurance.  So our client, Ms. P made a claim under her Underinsured Motorist Policy.  Which is what you are supposed to do.  Allstate, her insurance company, required her to sue them as that is what the UIM policy says has to happen.  Ms. P sued Allstate.  Then went thru Mandatory Arbitration.  But Allstate didn't like the verdict so they appealed it and forced a jury trial.  Their main witness was Dr. Blue, a retired neurosurgeon.  During the direct exam, he tells the jury that Ms. P's additional problems after the crash, are related to her pre-existing conditions that had been mildly strained.  He says her second surgery wasn't related to the crash.

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Karen Koehlercross examination, trial diaries, witness, experts
The 4 lamest words used to conduct direct exam of a fact witness
The 4 lamest words used to conduct direct exam of a fact witness

Drive up to the gate.  Pay $15 for a parking pass.  Drive 100 feet forward and turn left.  Find a space and park.  Am barefoot.  Slip on shoes.  Exit car.  Walk around the side of the building.  Open the doors.  Am now inside the UW school of law.    Head down the hallway to room 138.  Open the door.  It's a big theater styled space.  Walk down the stairs to the front.  Give Bill Bailey a hug.  He’s a full time professor there for now.  This is the big lecture class for the trial advocacy program.

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Karen Koehlerdirect exam, teaching, witness
The ghost writer
The ghost writer

Today a ghost writer offered to secretly write my blog.

Before deleting her spam, I took a peek at the links to the firms she writes for.  Bet they'll be happy to know they've been outed. 

It is slimy to hire someone to do legal blogging without disclosing that the writer is: a) not a member of the firm and b) not a lawyer.  Plus maintaining a blog simply for the sake of having a blog, is kinda lame.

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Karen Koehlerlegal marketing, legal profession, writing
The biggest mistake trial lawyers make
The biggest mistake trial lawyers make

Tom Chambers has summoned me.  I walk down the hall past Sheila - Tom’s right hand office manager whom we have nicknamed Sheera Princess of Power.  Enter his fake office.  The one where he meets with clients or other lawyers and important people.   It is as big as a large living room.   Sitting proudly next to the marble fireplace is an imposing desk.  There is one small pile of papers neatly stacked on it just so.  As if ready for a magazine photo shoot.

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Karen Koehlermentors, looking back
The Big Fat Rat - a Tom Chambers story
The Big Fat Rat - a Tom Chambers story

Flashback to 1990.

We are at Chambers Court.  In the upstairs conference room.  In a former life, the building was a funeral home.  So when we call it "The Morgue" we aren't joking.

Like all good attorneys with new associates, Tom does not trust me quite yet.  When I am told to depose an electrical engineer defense expert, Tom comes along and sits by my side.  With a foot and a half pile of documents on the table in front of him.  So he can listen with one ear but also get the rest of his work done.

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Karen Koehlermentors
Say hi to my daughter: the tale of a grumpy Allstate lawyer
Say hi to my daughter: the tale of a grumpy Allstate lawyer

This is an excerpt from my trial diary day 3.  In most car crash cases, the jury is never told about insurance.  This old rule makes no sense in our current world.  This case is brought against Allstate for failure to pay an underinsured motorist claim (UIM).  The person who hit M did not have enough insurance. They paid what they had.  Now M seeks to recover the balance from her own UIM coverage.  Allstate has a "sue us" clause in their policy.  This means, if they don't agree to pay the UIM claim, they force their own insureds to file a lawsuit.  This is what happens here.

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Karen Koehlerinsurance, trial diaries
Drop Dead Diva Rules

Imagine you are a blonde LA model who gushes, chirps and bats her eyes as she sashays through life.  One day you die but up in heaven you brazenly push the return to earth button.  Back down you rocket.

At the same time, a brunette, stout, workaholic trial lawyer named Jane saves her senior partner’s life.  She jumps in front of him just as a crazed former client shoots.  She takes the bullet.  Is on the operating table but it is no use.  She breathes her last breath and in you drop from heaven.    When Jane awakens you are her.  Same ditzy yet caring personality but with a twist.  Now you are unfashionable,  super smart and drive a nice car.

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Karen Koehlerinspiration
Comedians at Law Podcasts with The Velvet Hammer
Comedians at Law Podcasts with The Velvet Hammer

Once upon a time four young lawyers decided they hated practicing law.  So they became comedians.  Part of their gig involved creating a podcast.  Which they needed content for.

One day one of the comedians, Matt Ritter,  saw that The Velvet Hammer blog was the number one trial practice blog for the ABA.  He thought that was neat.  Called.  And the rest is comedians at law podcast history.

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Karen Koehlerpublic speaking
Deposition of a defense doctor - in concordance or in cahoots!
Deposition of a defense doctor - in concordance or in cahoots!

The insurance company hires two defense doctors to testify.  They don't examine the patient.  Just read the records and come up with opinions.  A nice way for a couch doctor to earn $750 to $1000 per hour.

I take their depositions one after the other.  Dr. 1 is taken at 2:00 and lasts for an hour.  The next is set to start at 3:30.  So what do you think.  Will Dr. 1 and Dr. 2 try to get their story straight in the 15 minutes between the two depositions.  Read on.

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Karen Koehlerdeposition
Love the Owens
Love the Owens

Tired of fake reality tv.

Try the true life story of the survival and recovery of the Owen family.  Brought to you by - the Owen Family.

According to the news:  On December 21st around 1:20 p.m. The Owen family was traveling on Highway 2 near Stevens Pass when a tree fell onto their suburban and claimed the lives of 58-year-old Tim Owen and 56-year-old Cheryl Reed. Also in the vehicle were the couple's son, Jeremy, daughters Jessie and Jamie, and son-in-law Steven Mayer. Jeremy was released from the hospital but the other three are still being treated for serious injuries.

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Karen Koehlercar accident, in the news, personal injury, client, owen case, wrongful death