So, what do you want to be when you grow up? According to an official survey of the nation’s children, among 13- and 14-year-olds the most common answer is actor (5.6%) - followed closely by lawyer (4.4%).

However, as we grow older and wiser, the stars fall from our eyes. When children are in the 15-16 group, just 4.2% want to be lawyers, still only just second to the 4.4% who want a career on stage or screen. However, by the time they reach 17-18, being a lawyer has fallen to fifth place at 3.4%, and aspiring thespians are down in 11th place with just 2.5%.

The figures come from a survey of 11,759 young people aged 13-18 across England carried out by educational charities b-live, the Education and Employers Taskforce, and quango the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.

Alas the survey does not track would-be lawyers through the years of first degree, law school and traineeship.