We are the last people to knock the enthusiasm of solicitors in Birmingham (we wear our 'Advised in Birmingham' T-shirts with pride, gladly place drinks on our 'Advised in Birmingham' coasters and are still getting through sticks of 'Advised in Birmingham' rock), but both we and our postman reacted with some fear to a press release from Birmingham Law Society about its next annual award ceremony.

It's not that the ceremony is not a good thing, but it doesn't take place until 30 March 2004, and to go on recent experience, we will receive press releases on a very regular basis until then, often saying little but building up to a state of outright hysteria by the time the event actually occurs.

The hot news for August is that former Tory leader William Hague MP has agreed to compere the ceremony, and so society president Diane Benussi is also able to hit our occasional Obiter category of 'I was snapped with a politician', albeit that she had to come to London to do so.