These days it is a little bit embarrassing for law firms if they don't win awards. The latest in an ever-extending bandwagon of prize giving was last week's 'The Chambers Global Awards', which confidently declared would recognise the 'world's leading lawyers'. For the record, the 'global law firm of the year' is Wall Street's renowned Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom (surely the tickertape parade is being organised as you read). Also for the record, although not in much detail, there were another 40-plus prizes doled out on the evening by Michael Chambers and Co, which runs a directory and recruitment agency, among other things. The categories ranged from 'off-shore law firm of the year' (won by Appleby Spurling Hunter), to 'USA: bankruptcy law firm of the year' (scooped up in an undoubtedly close contest by Weil Gotshal & Manges). There was also the intriguing category of 'Canada law firm of the year', with the proud winners being Osler Hoskin & Harcourt. Clearly in the battle for 'legal profession awards ceremony with the most awards', Chambers has set its stall out early and meaningfully. In keeping with this type of event, a celebrity host was recruited to glad hand the winners. Enter Cherie Booth QC, who told the 700 or so guests that 'London is the centre of the legal world', which must have been interesting news for those New Yorkers who won the global law firm of the year category. Ms Booth, who is married to the prime minister, also regaled the world's greatest lawyers with stories hot from the general election campaign. 'At heart I'm still much more fond of lawyers than I am of politicians,' she confessed. Whether that is good or bad news for her erstwhile lawyer husband is anyone's guess.