The survey, conducted by global recruiter Twosteps, asked some curly questions of more than 500 lawyers and legal professionals and found that around half of them admitted to checking work emails on Christmas day.

Addiction to work is not their only vice, it seems, with around 25 per cent of respondents saying they like to snap up an online bargain whilst at work, 50 per cent saying they couldn't possibly function without their Blackberry or iPhone, and almost 12 per cent (of whom 70 per cent were male) saying they had done something regrettable at the staff Christmas party.