The number of lawyers and legal actions soared in Shakespeare's Britain, affecting most aspects of daily life and shaping major political and legal disputes that still influence American politics and government. The Folger exhibition Age of Lawyers: The Roots of American Law in Shakespeare's Britain offers a close-up look at early modern law, politics, and legal culture that continue to influence practices today.
Louis R. Cohen, Folger Board Chair and Senior Council at WilmerHale, talks with Daniel De Simone, Eric Weinmann Librarian at the Folger, about the connections between law in Shakespeare’s time and today.