SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES FULL LINEUP FOR MOCK TRIAL AND NEW LIVE STREAMING ACCESS ADDED

Shakespeare Theatre Company Mock Trial

Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff and D.C. Litigator Debra Katz as Counsel

Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer Presides over a Bench Including Judge Patricia Millett, Judge Amy Berman Jackson, Judge James E. Boasberg, and Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer Presides with Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff and D.C. Litigator Debra Katz Advocating

WASHINGTON, DC, USA, February 17, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Shakespeare Theatre Company is proud to present the annual Mock Trial on March 21, 2022, at 7:30 PM live at Sidney Harman Hall. This beloved in-person event features Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer presiding over an esteemed bench including Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles, Judge James E. Boasberg, Judge Patricia Millett, and Judge Amy Berman Jackson. Pamela Talkin will perform the role of the Marshal of the court. Our extraordinary advocates arguing the case will be Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff and D.C. litigator Debra Katz. STC Bard Association Chair Abbe Lowell and STC Artistic Director Simon Godwin will also hold a riveting conversation on Shakespeare and the law during the judges' deliberation.

Because legal issues run throughout Shakespeare’s work, it is a marriage of true minds for the Bard Association, STC’s legal affinity group, to stage its unique and highly popular Mock Trial in the nation’s capital, a city with the highest concentration of lawyers in the country. Called “A Washington wonk’s dream” by The New York Times, this lively event has attracted a multitude of prominent law professionals since its inception in 1994.

Advocates argue the merits of their case before a packed audience of their peers, and don’t be surprised if final arguments are in iambic pentameter!

Through early access opportunities for Bard Association members, as well as STC subscribers, donors, and fans, the in-person audience for this eagerly anticipated event is completely reserved. However, to meet popular demand, for the first time ever, the Mock Trial will be livestreamed. Patrons may purchase on-line access for this live event for $25. Complete ticket information can be found here.

The scenario for the trial, entitled A HERO DEFAMED? MUCH ADO ABOUT MARGARET, revolves around Much Ado About Nothing’s Hero and her attendant Margaret. Hero has sued Don John, his follower Borachio, and Margaret in the Superior Court of Messina for conspiracy to commit defamation of character. While Don John and Borachio do not challenge the claim, Margaret contests all claims against her. After conducting a non-jury trial, Margaret is found guilty on all counts. We find ourselves now at Margaret’s appeal trial in Italy’s highest court.

The advocates have been presented with the following questions: 1) Did the trial court err in concluding that Margaret was, in fact, a co-conspirator in the scheme to defame Hero? and 2) Does the evidence sufficiently support the trial court’s conclusion that Margaret knew enough about Don John and Borachio's plan to defame Hero to be liable for aiding and abetting that plan? Join us on March 21 to find out.

ABOUT THE ADVOCATES
Douglas Emhoff
Second Gentleman
Douglas Emhoff is a devoted father, proud husband of Kamala Harris, and an experienced litigator. He is currently a Distinguished Visitor from Practice at Georgetown Law and a Distinguished Fellow of Georgetown Law’s Institute for Technology Law and Policy. Prior to becoming Second Gentleman of the United States, Emhoff was a prominent entertainment lawyer for nearly 30 years with an emphasis on media, entertainment, and intellectual property matters.

Debra Katz
D.C. Litigator, Founding Partner of Katz, Marshall & Banks
Recognized as "Civil Rights Lawyer of the Year" for Washington, D.C. by The Best Lawyers© In America for 2018, as one of the “toughest” employment lawyers in Washington, D.C. by Washingtonian magazine, and as an expert in sexual harassment, employment, and whistleblower law by The New York Times, The Washington Post, TIME magazine and others, Debra S. Katz has been successfully litigating employment discrimination, civil rights, and whistleblower protection cases for over 35 years.
Ms. Katz is a founding partner of Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP, where she concentrates her practice on employment discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, Sarbanes-Oxley, corporate, environmental and other whistleblower retaliation claims, SEC whistleblower tips, and contractual employment disputes. She has developed extensive litigation experience in federal and local courts and has achieved significant courtroom successes in a number of high-profile cases.

ABOUT THE BENCH PRESIDER
Stephen G. Breyer
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Stephen Breyer, born in San Francisco in 1938, is a justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. He is a graduate of Stanford, Oxford, and Harvard Law School. He taught law for many years as a professor at Harvard Law School and at the Kennedy School of Government. He has also worked as a Supreme Court law clerk (for Justice Arthur Goldberg), a Justice Department lawyer (antitrust division), an Assistant Watergate Special Prosecutor, and Chief Counsel of the Senate Judiciary Committee (working closely with Senator Edward M. Kennedy to pass the Airline Deregulation Act). In 1980 he was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit by President Carter, becoming Chief Judge in 1990. In 1994 he was appointed a Supreme Court Justice by President Clinton. He has written books and articles about administrative law, economic regulation, and constitutional law, including Regulation and Its Reform, Breaking the Vicious Circle: Toward Effective Risk Regulation, Active Liberty, Making Our Democracy Work: A Judge’s View, The Court and the World and, The Authority of the Court and the Peril of Politics, which was recently published. His wife, Joanna, was born in Great Britain and is a retired clinical psychologist. They have three children (Chloe, Nell, and Michael) and six grandchildren.

ABOUT THE BARD ASSOCIATION
The Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Bard Association offers lawyers and other individuals with legal ties the opportunity to experience classical theatre at its finest while building both personal and professional relationships. This unique affinity group provides a valuable connection between the legal community and the arts through networking opportunities, enriching panel discussions, and programs, including the popular Mock Trial Series. Members of the Bard Association enjoy exclusive benefits such as advance ticket purchase for the Mock Trial Series and Shakespeare and the Law events, “behind-the-scenes” access to the theatre, and the chance to create a greater awareness of the importance of the arts. The Shakespeare Theatre Company Bard Association is generously supported by Eversheds Sutherland LLP.