Unlike normal people who go on holiday, lawyers seem singularly unable to take two weeks off work and just lie on the beach. Or, like Tulkinghorn, sip on single malt and catch up on back copies of The Spectator.

Instead, the need to achieve infects even time off. Lovells has already done a Land’s End to John O’Groats ride for tsunami relief, which saw three of the firm’s strapping lawyers raise close to £15,000. Not to be outdone, White & Case has thrown its weight behind the International Childcare Trust’s tsunami appeal. It will field a team of six, led by capital markets partner Rachel Hatfield, in a bike ride across Sri Lanka. But before they start thinking they’re too cool, Denton Wilde Sapte partner Miranda Ramphul has vowed to ride across Mongolia on a pony in aid of the Cambodia Trust, a charity to help victims of landmines.

Tulkinghorn doffs his bowler to these gallant souls, but would like to see lawyers complete some really tough charity challenges. Like spending a month without food or water in a perspex box suspended over the South Bank, or going nude in the office for a day. Or maybe swimming butterfly across the English Channel. Backwards.

You can donate to the International Childcare Trust at www.cyclesrilanka.com and to the Cambodia Trust at www. justgiving.com/mirandaramphul.