Washington, D.C. Partner Abbe Lowell Joins Judge Merrick Garland for Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Virtual Mock Trial

The show must go on! Shakespeare Theatre Company’s bi-annual Mock Trial is now in session. Described by Roll Call as “the funniest, most entertaining event in Washington,” this fan-favorite production will be available online for the first time for its 2020 performance.

On June 22, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. EST, audiences are invited to hear a mock appellate argument before a panel of judges, based on a legal issue arising from a re-imagined plot point of A Midsummer Night's Dream. In a case of art imitating life, the scenario from the classic play will focus on a canceled performance of “Pyramus and Thisbe” and the legitimacy of the force majeure clause.

Get your ticket and learn more about the production here.

Abbe Lowell—Winston & Strawn Washington, D.C. Litigation Partner, leading white-collar defense and trial lawyer, and a longtime member of Shakespeare Theatre Company's Board of Trustees—will act as the respondent for the playing company, contending that turning the lead actor into a donkey is indeed an act of God and they should not be liable for any losses.

Kathryn Ruemmler, an attorney who formerly served as an official at the Department of Justice and White House Counsel to President Barack Obama, will be the Petitioner for Theseus, the Duke of Athens, who lost expected revenue after the canceled performances, and paid an advance to the acting company of “Rude Mechanicals.”

The case will be argued before a panel of judges presided over by Judge Merrick B. Garland, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Judge Garland will be accompanied by Judge Patricia A. Millett, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Judge Amy Berman Jackson, United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and Judge Neomi Jehangir Rao, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

As in the past, a Supreme Court Justice may join the bench as well.

As mentioned above, the event is organized by Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Bard Association, which offers lawyers and other individuals with legal ties the opportunity to experience classical theatre 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 event.