The meanest motion ever
The meanest motion ever

Sometimes my job is sickening.   I get the whole idea of defense lawyers attacking my clients in order to make sure they are telling the truth.  But what I can never get used to are the grotesque tactical maneuvers used by some defense lawyers to save an insurance company a buck.

Here are a few excerpts from an argument I made to the Court opposing defense counsel's motion to dismiss a father's claim for the wrongful death of his child.  Before reading this: a) put on a white jacket; b) stand up fully; c) employ wonder woman frown; d) thrust out chin; and e) use extra emphasis when using the word: "repulsive."

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Karen Koehlerwrongful death
Specifically with respect to our daddy's love
Specifically with respect to our daddy's love

Let me count the ways...

  1. Answered every question thoughtfully - including if there really was a man in the moon.
  2. Gave us puzzles and calendars featuring photos of sperm taken with his electron microscope
  3. Tucked us into bed every night.  Then came back to check half an hour later to see if we were really asleep.
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Karen Koehlerfamily
How to Fly Across the Country for the Weekend and Not Stay Overnight
How to Fly Across the Country for the Weekend and Not Stay Overnight

Friday
9-10:00 am perform office work with Nala in tow
10:00 – 11:15 teleconference with AAJ committee. Anne takes Nala for a walk and brings her back.
11:15 – 12:30 Meeting with co-counsel and new client who is in full rigid body brace. Nala tries to tip her over.
12:30 – 1:15 Put Nala in car. Head to court but first stop off at Whole Foods Interbay as frig is bare. Pick up fruit.

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Karen Koehlerlawyer schedule
Dear Judge: Can you PLEASE muzzle that woman...and the press
Dear Judge: Can you PLEASE muzzle that woman...and the press

In its third motion for protective order my least favorite tourism company asks the court yet again to stop the plaintiff from filing motions in the public court file.  Instead they want a special rule that requires us to give them five days notice before we can file a document so they can bring a motion asking the court to seal it or block us.  Kind of like an early warning anti-missile system.  We must tell them before we launch then they try to shoot us down before the paperwork can hit the courthouse file.

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Karen Koehlerfree speech, motion, obnoxious defense, ride the ducks
Keep your head to the sky
Keep your head to the sky

Judges don't like it when us attorneys can't stop bickering.  They are irritated by having to deal with our exchanges of snipes, digs and downright insults.

Last month after a trial ended, two jurors followed me down to the courthouse lobby.  They wanted to talk about what happened.  Both commented on how impressed they were that the attorneys acted in a civil manner.  Sure we disagreed with each other and objected and there were tense moments.  But we were not overly disrespectful like the lawyers they saw on television.  They appreciated that.

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Karen Koehlerjury, pick your battles
Lawyer v. Lawyer part 4 I guess
Lawyer v. Lawyer part 4 I guess

After Thanksgiving, my brother sisters and I decide to sort through the few remaining boxes of mom's things.  The contents of two storage units and a condo have been reduced to a pile of certificates, photos, and little treasures.  We are at Greg and Laurie's craftsman house.  Sitting around the living room.  Creating our respective piles.

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Karen Koehlerfamily, in the news
Should a toddler's life ever be worth nothing
Should a toddler's life ever be worth nothing

A few days before Thanksgiving a defendant corporation sends me the report of its expert accountant.  This person's job is to place a value on the life of a two and a half year old child who has died as the result of the negligence of others.

In our state the way we decide the "value" of loss of life under such circumstances is to project what the child would have grown up and earned during her life time.  Less what the child would have consumed.  The amount that is left over is called "net accumulations" and this cold calculation = value of the life lost.

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Karen Koehlerexperts, wrongful death
Life after trial
Life after trial

I believe that lawyers take too much credit when a trial is won and too much responsibility when a trial is lost.

Of course this is our j.o.b.  We are in it to win it.  Our client's well being is our number one top absolute priority.  And regardless of the reasons why sometimes we cannot convince the judge or jury of our position - it totally bites when we lose.

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Karen Koehlerlawyer life
48 Hours
48 Hours

4:30   Slide sideways out of bed.  Do everything necessary to get out of house.
5:15     Drop Nala off at downtown dog lounge.
5:45     Arrive at SeaTac.  Park.  Walk.  Get thru security. Wait. Board.
7:00    Lift off.  Eat lemon luna bar.  Pull up P case on ipad.  Exhibits have been loaded into Trialpad.  Scroll through them.  Nod off.  Child kicks seat.  Get back to work.  Eat too many grapes.

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Karen Koehlerlawyer schedule, courthouse
On the One Year Anniversary of A Disaster - the Defendant goes on a media blitz
On the One Year Anniversary of A Disaster - the Defendant goes on a media blitz

One year ago, Seattle experienced its worst traffic disaster.  A converted amphibious military vehicle built for World War II went across the center line of our most notorious bridge into the side of a school bus.   Five international students were killed and over 50 more students, tourists, and others were injured.    Firefighters who performed the rescue operations still become emotional when thinking about the disaster.

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Karen Koehlerin the news, ride the ducks
The brutal reality as seen by 3D Radiological Imaging
The brutal reality as seen by 3D Radiological Imaging

Technology is changing the way we are able to visualize everything.  This 3D imaging study shows a picture that makes more sense to us than would a simple xray.

In this case, a worker was killed on the job when he was installing a defective device.  The electrical system in the piece of equipment had been negligently manufactured.  When he started to install it, the device shorted  and launched like a rocket into his face.  He survived the impact but died in the hospital about a month later.

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Karen Koehlertech for lawyers, wrongful death
Gentle deposition sparring
Gentle deposition sparring

Setting:  We are in a downtown Seattle conference room.  The sky is deep blue.  The sun is shining.  Its rays bounce like mirrors off the skyscrapers and rippling waterways below us.  Eric the videographer is at the far end of the table.  Jane the court reporter is her usual excellent self.  Cheryl our medical negligence paralegal is by my side.  Across the table are the defense lawyers.  In front of a gray screen sits the witness.  The defense side is somber.  I am feisty. We are about an hour an a half into the deposition.

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Karen Koehlerwrongful death, deposition
So now I'm vociferous
So now I'm vociferous

Last evening a senior defense attorney, sent out an email to a large group of about 50 or so attorneys (all on the same case) that announced I was "a forceful and vociferous advocate" for my clients.

She didn't mean this as a compliment.

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Karen Koehlerobnoxious defense
The Day Ride the Ducks Tried to Shut Me Up
The Day Ride the Ducks Tried to Shut Me Up

I have a job that is part of my soul.  This means I fight for my clients with every ounce of my being.   Sometimes people (typically those I sue) don't like that.

The owner of Ride the Ducks Seattle is Brian Tracey.  He has been investigating me  by reading my Twitter feed, watching tv and reading the news.  After completing his studies he filed a declaration to support a motion to prevent dissemination of discovery materials in the 20 cases we have filed against his business for the death and injury of victims of the Ride the Duck Aurora Bridge crash.

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Karen Koehlerfree speech, ride the ducks
Ending Mediation with a runaway dog, broken alarm and a traumatized paralegal
Ending Mediation with a runaway dog, broken alarm and a traumatized paralegal

I leave Nala at home. Today is a half day mediation.  At my office.  We will be done by 1:00.  I can then come home and let her out.  She will be fine for four hours.

The mediation drags a bit.  Colleen Barrett is the mediator.  First time I've used her. She was a defense attorney.  Had several cases against her.  Always liked her.

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Karen Koehlerbest paralegal, lawyer schedule, nala the brittany spaniel