Karen Koehler, aka 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 —the largest nonpunitive plaintiff personal injury trial verdict in state history. Recently she achieved a $44.7 Million jury verdict in a motorcycle v. car crash in 2022 – the largest collectible motorcycle crash verdict in the country.

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.

Dr. Scott Tauber is the COO and Director of Education for the American Institute of Personal Injury Physicians.

He has over 25 years of active clinical and healthcare consulting experience and has served as an expert witness for both plaintiff and defense med-legal cases, been an independent consultant for several major automobile insurance carriers, healthcare companies and state regulatory agencies.

Dr. Tauber is the developer of the “Personal Injury Success Blueprint” system, which helps providers quickly improve the Personal Injury portion of their practice and work more effectively with med-legal professionals while maximizing their performance and growth.

He is a national speaker on the topic of Personal Injury and has been a guest instructor at med-legal conferences, state association events and professional schools.

Dr. Tauber is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedists and a Certified Professional Coder.

Survam Patel, PharmD is a state licensed, board certified pharmacist serving as Managing Partner of Compliant Clients, a health service company which improves patient case outcomes through customized medical transport services and pharmacy support.

He is also the founder of MediMental Care’s parent company (MMC Services, LLC), and as the Chief Practice Development Officer of MediMental Care, Dr. Patel utilizes his pharmacological training to identify gaps in patient treatment, while creating and implementing new service models for individuals with personal injuries. These models of care help ensure that patients are able to access optimal treatment and avoid undue medical deterioration during long periods of recovery.
More than just a pharmacist, Dr. Patel considers himself to be a true advocate for those patients with personal injuries. He is often seen in the halls of the Texas Capitol, where he testifies before legislative committees in support of patient rights.

As a scientist, pharmaceutical practitioner, and health services executive, Dr. Patel exemplifies advanced, visionary approaches to the delivery of interdisciplinary care to patients.

Keith R. Mitnik was born in Eustis, Florida in 1959. He graduated from Eustis High School in 1977, and from UCF Magna Cum Laude in 1981 with a degree in Allied Legal Services. He graduated from FSU Law School with honors in 1984. Upon graduation he was selected to train under one of the premier Trial Attorneys in Central Florida. Within two years he was named a partner by his mentor. He remained in the firm of Robertson, Williams, Mitnik and McDonald until 1992, when he formed The Law Firm of Peed and Mitnik. In 1997 he joined the Law Firm of Morgan & Morgan and is now one of the owners.

Mr. Mitnik is Senior Trial Lawyer for Morgan & Morgan and is designated to assist other members of the firm on their trials. As a result, he tries a large number of cases every year.

He has handled many high-profile cases and has been interviewed by Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes. Over the years, his list of clients has included judges, elected officials, law firms, and world-famous musicians. He has handled such high-profile cases as the suit against Britney Spears by her former manager; the suit by the Backstreet Boys against their former manager; the suit by Harlem Globetrotters legends, including Curly Neal and Meadowlark Lemon, against The Harlem Globetrotters; the civil suit against Casey Anthony; and the “Tailwind” case against CNN and Time Magazine (one of the leading defamation cases of the last decade). He has been honored as a member of the Florida Legal Elite, Florida’s “Super Lawyers,” Best Lawyers in America (2013 Lawyers of the Year), and Martindale’s Bar Registry of Preeminent Lawyers.

Mr. Mitnik has obtained a long list of verdicts in excess of a million dollars. In the last few years, he has jury verdicts of $1 Million, $1.35 Million, $2.4 Million, $2.7 Million, $5.1 Million, $18.1 Million, $27 million, $40 Million, and a $90 Million (which was the 7th largest verdict in America for 2010).

He is a frequent seminar presenter for plaintiffs’ lawyers in Florida and across the country, sharing his cutting edge lawsuit strategies.

Education

From high school to law school, Mr. Mitnik received his education in Florida, the state in which he bases his law practice to this day. Mr. Mitnik graduated from UCF Magna Cum Laude in 1981 with a degree in Allied Legal Services. He graduated from FSU Law School with honors in 1984. Upon graduation he was chosen by his mentor to train under one of the premier trial attorneys in Central Florida.

Kyle Sherman’s first exposure to great trial lawyer skills was while working for famed criminal defense attorney Roy Black in Miami, Florida. After turning his focus to Civil Plaintiff work, he graduated from the Gerry Spence Trial College, having been voted class representative and serving on the F Warrior Board for three years.

Kyle was a founding instructor of Trojan Horse Method and Trial Structure, where he has taught, presented and consulted across the country for several years.

When he is not helping other lawyers get better, he runs his plaintiff firm in Lafayette Louisiana as a partner at Brandt and Sherman, LLP.

Kyle’s is a Master Horseman, which he credits as teaching him patience, and a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu which teaches him to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

Randy Kinnard has tried over 260 jury trials for plaintiffs. He represented television personality Erin Andrews in her case against a hotel in Nashville for breach of privacy. The jury awarded Erin $55 million. He has won many multi-million dollar verdicts and has set jury verdict records across Tennessee.

Before he became a lawyer, Randy served in combat in Vietnam in the 173rd Airborne Brigade. He was awarded the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Bronze Star for Valor, Purple Heart, Combat Air Medal, and other combat medals.

Randy serves on the boards of several non-profits in Nashville, Tennessee.

Trial Structure’s Charles Bennett is both a trial consultant and personal injury lawyer for all types of catastrophic personal injury cases, such as wrongful death and traumatic brain damage, for trucking cases, car wrecks, premises liability, and workplace injuries.

In July 2021, Charles won a $325,000 verdict in a conservative county near Dallas, Texas on a contested red light, he-said-she-said case, with less than $40k in past medical bills and a last offer of approximately $19k. In 2019, cases Charles consulted on won over $35M in 8 separate verdicts. Recently, a case he and Trial Structure’s Ilya Lerma structured won a $39M verdict in a case tried by John Garner in Northern California

Ilya has consulted on some of Trial Structure’s most successful cases over the last few years. She routinely travels all over the United States to work with top trial lawyers on large, complex cases.

Ilya has presented at the National Trial Lawyers Association in Miami, she’s presented at the American Association of Justice “Weekend with the Stars,” and she routinely instructs for Trial Structure Master Workshops when her busy trial practice in Phoenix, Arizona allows.

For greater than 20 years, Ilya Lerma has represented Plaintiffs in a wide array of complex personal injury matters including dram shop actions, nursing home negligence, insurance bad faith, civil rights abuse and discrimination, and serious auto crashes involving traumatic brain injury, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death. She has successfully prevailed in claims involving governmental entities, hospitals, multi-national corporations, heavy equipment and transportation companies, and mainline insurance carriers.

She is a member of the Executive Board of the Arizona Trial Lawyers Association and President of the Arizona Association for Justice and a member of the board of directors for the previous 8 years. She is a frequent lecturer and educator in business and personal liability, negligence actions, and trial practice.

At Romano Law Group, Mikayla Taylor focuses her practice on representing plaintiffs in a wide variety of personal injury and catastrophic injury cases, including auto negligence, wrongful death, product liability, and medical malpractice. Before joining the firm, she gained invaluable experience working at both plaintiffs and defense firms. Ms. Taylor’s experience working for the defense, prior to joining the plaintiff’s side, enables her to provide a well-rounded perspective in her practice. Having been a plaintiff herself, Ms. Taylor brings a unique passion to her work in zealously representing her clients.

A double ‘Nole, Ms. Taylor graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor’s in Criminology, prior to obtaining her Juris Doctor degree from Florida State University College of Law in Tallahassee, Florida. During law school, she held leadership roles in the Black Law Students Association and performed in the role of subciter for the Journal of Land Use and Environmental Law, all while heavily focusing her energy into competing on the school’s prestigious Trial Team.

Outside of her litigation practice, Ms. Taylor serves as a member of several bar associations in Palm Beach County, and in her free time, she loves to powerlift, play video games, and tackle escape rooms with her family.

Education
• Florida State University College of Law, J.D., 2020
• Florida State University, B.S., Criminology, 2016

Bar Admissions
• Florida – All State Courts

Memberships and Associations
• Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, Florida Bar, Member
• Animal Law Section, Florida Bar, Member
• F. Malcolm Cunningham, Sr. Bar Association, Member
• Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Palm Beach County Chapter, Member
• Palm Beach County Bar Association, Young Lawyers Section, Member
• Trial Lawyers Section, Florida Bar, Member
• Young Lawyers Division, Florida Bar, Member

Honors and Awards
• Florida State University College of Law, Preeminent Scholar

Kenny Berger has dedicated his professional life to protecting the rights, lives, and dignity of those who have been harmed. After studying at the University of Washington and Harvard University, Kenny returned to South Carolina to serve the state that helped raise him.

A graduate of USC Law, Kenny has been focused on life-changing injury and wrongful death cases since his first day in practice. He was recognized as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers from 2013-2018, and a “Super Lawyer” every year since. Kenny also takes pride in his firm’s “Giving (Every) Tuesday” initiative which has resulted in more than $250,000.00 in charitable donations over the last two years.