Mock Trial
FEB 17, 2026 | 7:30pm
Harman Hall
STC’s 37th Annual Mock Trial is Back
“IF THE HANDKERCHIEF COULD TALK”: Estate of Emilia v. Estate of Desdemona
Death has descended upon Venice, and those who remain seek justice for the fallen. But what does justice look like amid convoluted schemes and deceptions? Othello has killed his wife, Desdemona, following Iago’s false accusation of her adultery.
Upon learning of her innocence from Iago’s wife Emilia, Othello has killed himself. Incensed by her betrayal, Iago has killed Emilia. At the center of this bloody tangle: a handkerchief.
Othello bestowed his mother’s handkerchief upon Desdemona as a token of his love, emphasizing that to lose it or give it away would be an unimaginable betrayal. Iago requested that Emilia steal the handkerchief, and when she did, he planted it with Cassio to frame Desdemona with adultery.
But is Emilia’s estate liable for her role in Desdemona’s untimely death at the hands of a jealous Othello? That is the question our Mock Trial will seek to answer, as both estates appeal to the Quarantia Civil Nova of Venice following the trial court decision holding Emilia’s estate liable for aiding and abetting the murder, but not for wrongful death. Is Emilia responsible for Desdemona’s death, or should her name be posthumously cleared? You decide.
Ticket Information
A Plus – $250
• One premium Orchestra ticket
• Access to the VIP post-show reception
A Level – $195
• One premium Orchestra or Grand Tier Orchestra ticket
B Level – $95
• One ticket in the Grand Tier or Mezzanine
Streaming Ticket – $25
• Livestream access on one device
Ticket Presale and On Sale Dates
- JAN 20, 2026 | Presale | Bard Association
- JAN 21, 2026 | Presale | Artistic Circle Donors
- JAN 22, 2026 | Presale | STC Subscribers
- JAN 23, 2026 | General public
Tickets and Schedule
Participants
Bench:
Judge Amy Berman Jackson, United States District Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Advocates:
Stephen Vladeck, Agnes Williams Sesquicentennial Professor of Federal Courts, Georgetown University Law Center
Karen L. Dunn, Founding Partner of Dunn Isaacson Rhee LLP
Stay tuned for additional participants.
All titles, participants, and dates subject to change.
Scenario and Briefs
Briefs will be available at a later date.
Mock Trial Scenario Committee
Abbe Lowell: Chair, Winston & Strawn LLP
Medha Gargeya: Co-Chair, WilmerHale
Carol Elder Bruce: Law Office of Carol Elder Bruce, PLLC
Joseph Block
Gregory Cooke
Nina Laserson Dunn, Esq.
Burton Fishman: Fortney & Scott LLC
Jeffrey N. Gibbs: Hyman, Phelps and McNamara
Drew Lichtenburg: STC Resident Dramaturg
Lloyd Randolph
Zhanna L. Malekos Smith
John Vogel: Crowell & Moring LLP
Carolyn Wheeler: Katz, Marshall & Banks LLP
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 and programs, including the popular Mock Trial Series. Membership in the Bard Association transforms the individual experience from occasional ticket buyers to dedicated patrons of the Shakespeare Theatre Company. 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.
A list of Bard Association membership benefits can be found here.
For information on the Bard Association, please contact SupportSTC@ShakespeareTheatre.org.
About The Mock Trial Series
“A Washington wonk’s dream” –The New York Times
Conceived in 1994, the Mock Trial Series explores the connection of classical theatre and modern-day law. Tickets to the event have been known to sell out in minutes due to the prominent law professionals it hosts, such as U.S. Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr., Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, and the Honourable Suzanne Côté from the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as Chief Judge Merrick B. Garland, Judge David S. Tatel, Judge Thomas B. Griffith, Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, Judge Patricia A. Millett, Judge Cornelia T.L. Pillard, Judge Robert L. Wilkins, and Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
The Shakespeare Theatre Company Bard Association is generously supported by
Bloomberg Philanthropies
CYPFER