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“The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.” – 2 King Henry IV, 2

The exact date of Shakespeare’s birth is not known, but based on available evidence, April 23, 1564 was his probable birthday. Admittedly, historians also like the date because Shakespeare died on the same day.

Many of Shakespeare’s plays concerned lawyers or trials; Twelfth Night, Merchant of Venice, and Measure for Measure are but three examples.

More information is available at:

• History.com
• Constance Jordan & Karen Cunningham eds., The Law in Shakespeare (4^th floor @ PR3028.L39 2007)
• Margaret Graham Tebo, Shakespeare for Lawyers (4^th floor @ PR3028.T43 2010)
• Andrew Zurcher, Shakespeare and the Law (4^th floor @ PR3028.Z87 2010)