Courts

A Most Supreme Celebration Of Excellence At The Highest Court In The Land

Lawyers and judges alike -- including an ATL columnist -- were honored for their dedication to the legal profession at this black-tie gala.

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Supreme Court Evening Staci Zaretsky

(Photo by Staci Zaretsky)

This past weekend, lawyers and judges from across the country (and even a few from across the pond) had the pleasure of attending the Celebration of Excellence at the Supreme Court of the United States, an event hosted by the American Inns of Court that some have likened to the legal world’s version of the Academy Awards.

Decked out in sharp tuxedos and elegant evening gowns, lawyers and jurists alike scaled the towering, ivory steps of the Supreme Court to enter America’s most hallowed courtroom. With almost as many federal judges present as there were servers, it was certainly an evening to remember.

Legal luminaries gathered within the courtroom to honor their colleagues, each of whom had generously contributed their talent, time, and energy to bettering the legal profession. Celebrity sightings at the awards ceremony were plentiful. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Sonia Sotomayor flanked the center aisles of the reserved seating section, while Judge Kent Jordan of the Third Circuit, president of the American Inns of Court, served as the master of ceremonies and Judge Carl E. Stewart of the Fifth Circuit announced awards (when he wasn’t busy accepting one himself).

If being seated in the majestic courtroom within arm’s reach of two justices wasn’t enough to take your breath away, listening to some of the moving acceptance speeches was sure to do so.

Each year, the American Inns of Court presents the A. Sherman Christensen Award (Judge Stewart, who has provided “distinguished, exceptional, and significant” leadership service to the organization over the years); the Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Award for Professionalism and Ethics (Judge David Campbell of the District of Arizona, who rendered exemplary service to the profession throughout the pandemic and his career as a whole); the Sandra Day O’Connor Award for Professional Service (Above the Law’s own Jonathan Wolf, whose comprehensive commitment to pro bono work earned him this honor); and the Warren E. Burger Prize (Davis G. Yee, the first two-time winner, who wrote an inspiring essay about promoting diversity within the legal profession). Those who won Professionalism Awards were recognized as well.

Chief Justice Roberts presented awards to Judge Stewart and Judge Campbell, and since the three have known each other for quite a long time, there were many chuckles to be had. Those gathered learned that Judge Stewart once had the pleasure of meeting Queen Elizabeth, and they had a chat about Magna Carta of all things. Perhaps that wasn’t such a bright idea, Roberts quipped with a grin. Later on, when introducing Campbell, Roberts cheekily noted, “[He] serves so ably on so many judicial conference committees that I would like to congratulate myself for having the foresight to appoint him.”

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Following the awards ceremony, attendees were seated in the East and West Conference Rooms and Great Hall for a delectable four-course meal. With dinner specialties ranging from crab and sweet corn ravioli to Tuscan beef tenderloin, the only thing that paired better with the food than the wine served was the incredibly entertaining conversations held between tablemates.

One of the more comical highlights of the evening was when Kannon Shanmugam, a Kansas native and one of the nation’s most decorated Supreme Court litigators, jokingly pleaded with those gathered not to spoil the score of the Kansas game for him before he introduced the winner of the Burger Prize. On the night of the event, Kansas was playing against Villanova in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. The team, of course, won that game, and the Jayhawks were later crowned as the national champions.

An after-party for attorneys was held at the bar of the Hilton Capitol Hill. When it comes to drinks between prominent lawyers and judges, what happens in D.C. stays in D.C. (if you want to be invited back to next year’s event, that is). A truly wonderful time was had by all.

If you’re interested in becoming a member of a local chapter of the American Inns of Court, please click here.

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Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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