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'Reeves said: ‘If I was a young women listening to this evidence, I’d think about not going there [Slaughter and May] and think about opting for one of the firms that does have the initiative to be open and transparent.’'

Young women solicitors go there - and will continue to go there - because of the rewards that they offer to them, even if that rarely includes equity partnership. Money is what drives most young solicitors. It always has done and, regardless of what politicians think and say, it will continue to do so. And what's more, a spell at a firm like S&L is likely to enhance women solicitors' prospects ultimately of getting an equity partnership elsewhere (assuming that they want this).