City giant Clifford Chance's (CC) carefully crafted image as a lean, mean corporate machine was shattered last week as it turns out the firm is just a bunch of fluffy bunnies.

Celebrating the tenth anniversary of not-for-profit community solicitors group Law for All (LFA) up on the firm's swanky 30th floor in Canary Wharf, LFA solicitor Anne Barlow inadvertently exposed the touchy-feely underbelly of the corporate beast.

She told a tale of a young CC trainee who recently defended a single mum before the social security tribunal - on a pro bono basis, of course.

The mother had to come to court with her baby in tow, having nowhere else to leave him.

Just as the brave trainee begins her arguments, her client becomes engrossed in a heated telephone row with her ex-partner.

The tribunal chairman - not amused - suggests the mother takes the conversation outside, which she does, plonking the baby down on the tribunal floor.

The enfant terrible reveals an unfortunate fascination for the grumpy chairman, making its noisy way towards him with surprising speed and determination.

Knowing that the baby had not sought permission to approach the bench, the quick-thinking trainee deftly scoops him up, and continues her arguments babe-in-arms - punctuated by gurgles, screams and, we can only assume, bottom noises.

Needless to say, the just-out-of-nappies lawyer won the day - but what will it do for the corporate bear's image?