"Fairness is what justice really is," said Justice Potter Stewart. (And with regard to a different subject, "I know it when I see it.") This marks the 18th year that the Council for Court Excellence gives out an award in his name to lawyers and organizations that help promote justice in DC.

In the Organization of American States, we snapped this year's Justice Potter Stewart honoree, Arent Fox chairman emeritus Marc Fleischaker, flanked by friends and family: daughter Julia, wife Phyllis, Pillsbury partner Michael Jaffe, and Arent Fox IP litigation head Jay Hulme. Behind them is another important participant: the "tree of peace" that symbolizes pan-American unity, planted by President William Taft and Andrew Carnegie in 1910. Also honored were Legal Counsel for the Elderly and Pepco.

We spotted legendary lawyer, dapper dresser, and past Potter Stewart honoree Jake Stein, second from right, with fellow top trial attorneys: Sedgwick Law's David Dorsen, Baker Botts' Bill Jeffress (CCE board member and former Potter clerk), and George Washington Law's Alan Morrison. Alan, also a former Potter Stewart award winner, co-founded the Public Citizen Litigation Group with Ralph Nader and has argued 20 cases before the Supreme Court. Now as associate dean for public interest, he looks for pro bono projects with which to get his students involved.

Arent Fox chairman Mark Katz, right, came to celebrate Marc; we found him catching up with Venable government contracts partner Diz Locaria and Gibson Dunn M&A co-chair Stephen Glover.

Before they shared a table for dinner, we snapped Steptoe chairman emeritus Roger Warin between CCE chairman and Lockheed Martin Washington Operations VP and GC Jay Brozost, and Jay's neice Kimber Veltri, a UPitt law student and summer clerk at the EPA.

Here's former DC Bar Foundation executive director Katia Garrett; her husband, Skadden partner Don Salzman (who recently won an award of his own: the Servant of Justice Award from Legal Aid); and two past Potter Stewart honorees: Georgetown Law associate dean and Access to Justice Commission board chair Peter Edelman and DC Access to Justice Commission executive director Jess Rosenbaum.

Koonz McKenney's Paulette Chapman, second from right, had the important role of Award Selection Committee acting chair. We snapped her with Barbara Stevens, DC Superior Court senior Judge Rufus King, and Jackson & Campbell's William Davis.

Steptoe partner Brigida Benitez and Bryan Cave data privacy and security practice head David Zetoony are both CCE board members. Brigida's also president-elect of the DC Bar until June, when she steps into the role of president.