Piecemeal prizes

Birmingham Law Society - still flush with the 600,000 it trousered last year after flogging antique books from its library - is getting ever so excited about its inaugural legal awards ceremony next month.

First there were several teasers about the top star who would be handing out the gongs (it turned out to be local broadcaster Ed Doolan) and now the hot news is that an up-and-coming glass sculptor is to make the trophies.

Allister Malcolm is just 26 but already his career has peaked with this honour, we feel.

Rather cleverly, the nine individual trophies fit together to form a larger sculpture, which is a nice idea but could be a bit irritating if one firm manages to win eight awards.