Deputy’s Sexual Assault Lawsuit for Training Academy Misconduct Settles for $500,000
A female deputy with the goal of joining police ranks to help better serve her community has settled her lawsuit against Washington’s law enforcement training academy, the Federal Way Police Department, and training officer Richard Klein.
The lawsuit alleged that the Academy (which is mandatory for law enforcement officers)...
About Shannon
Today, I felt inspired to write a haiku about my colleague Shannon Kilpatrick, whose partnership and expertise helped us secure over $80,000 in attorneys' fee sanctions for discovery violations against Amazon.
Yin and Yang
Bulldog’s fierce pursuit,
Wisdom’s calm shapes every move—
Balance wins the case.
Let Amazon be Amazon, Let the Others Be Themselves
Let the run bring you to your knees
Let the Sun dry your eyes
Let the dew mix your cries
Let the drop sink it all
Let the wind carry your call
Let them whisper in the shade
Let them brew their lemonade
Let the Blatherskites be Twattle-baskets
...
Dreams and Fears
Even when fears try to hold us back.
Each journey is unique,
And through sharing our stories,
We find strength together.
I had an amazing chance to speak to a few hundred students at DECA recently. If you’re not familiar, DECA is a program for high school...
How We Become Bigger Than Ourselves
Our clients teach us many lessons.
And through them, we are humbled.
Humbled by their strength. Their resilience. Their power.
Their ability to make more from tragedy than tragedy.
My client Brian B. continues to teach me that you can become bigger than yourself or your tragedy.
He just...
For Chris
Grief fuels her to strive,
In Olympia, alive,
For safe roads, we thrive.
Cammryn Gadd, the widow of Washington State Patrol Trooper Christopher Gadd (Chris), has turned her heartbreaking loss into a mission to save lives. Chris was killed on March 2, 2024, when an impaired driver slammed into his patrol...
The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast is Back – Season 5 Premiere!
The wait is over—The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast is back with Season 5, and this time, Karen Koehler is joined by Mo Hamoudi for a brand-new season of unfiltered, honest, and thought-provoking conversations.
🎙 Stream the Podcast Now! Spotify:...
The Enduring Relevance of History in Modern Civil Rights Cases
For Derrick
History does not die
It is a witness
With fingers unfurled
Dawn's first light
The burdened chest
The clenched fist
Wisps of grass, dirt
History stands
Tall and handsome
It sings "rise, rise!"
- M.H.
The Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, also known...
VP Kamala Harris Recognizes Injured Motorcycle Officer for his Bravery and Service
Seattle, WA - December 6, 2024: Today, Officer Kevin Bereta and his wife made the arduous journey to Washington, D.C., at the personal invitation of Vice President Kamala Harris.
On August 15, 2023, while protecting the VP on her visit to Seattle, Officer Bereta plunged 30 feet from...
Join the Courtroom Crusade!
Hey there! Let's chat, virtually, on December 11, 2024, about pro bono work and why it's such a big deal in the legal world. Imagine it as the legal profession's way of paying it forward, giving lawyers a chance to make a real difference while sharpening their skills and I promise:...