Reece Witherspoon’s portrayal of Elle Woods, the sorority girl who became a Harvard Law student, has reportedly lead to hundreds – nay, thousands – of women becoming law students (or at least going to law school).

We know this because she told Wall Street Journal in an article, saying: “At least once a week I have a woman come up to me and say, ‘I went to law school because of Legally Blonde.”

Legally Blonde follows the life of Elle Woods, a perky-but-ditzy blonde who tries to win back her boyfriend by following him to Harvard Law School.

The movie became a smash hit and has lead to the female law student-population boom.

A recent study by Fletchers Solicitors found that 39 per cent of millennials’ careers were inspired by TV shows, including such characters as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in the City to Meghan Markle’s role in Suits – and not to mention (for lawyers) Ally McBeal, a character who promoted a whole generation of lawyers to follow in her footsteps.

The reality of television, as distinct from reality television, is that it continues to exercise is pull on those seeking careers.

For lawyers, women lawyers in particular, what is more a problem is that the career that is portrayed on the small screen can present a raft of gender-based difficulties that does not see the television inspiration translate into profession satisfaction.