Many might not share his surprise at the scheme’s popularity which, he claims, stemmed from wanting to foster a better gender balance in the firm. Worried that the high number of female trainees and associates were not translating into a balanced partnership, the firm set out to make work more flexible for new mothers. “More women than men are coming into the law and when women have a baby they take a break out of the profession and often feel it’s difficult to come back in,” says Gold. ”They might not be able to commit all their time in the office and I think people often feel a loss of confidence."