Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos, said that conversations at work dominated by such discussions could prevent women and ethnic-minority people from taking part in “incidental conversation”.

He said that old white male lawyers enjoy “the sound of their own voices” and “fail to see themselves as others see them”.

“If white, male lawyers are regularly talking about subjects that do not interest women or ethnic-minority lawyers and those from less privileged backgrounds, they will inevitably feel excluded,” he told the Legal Services Board conference. “It is difficult to generalise about what topics might make particular groups feel excluded. But women are often less interested than men in sport.

“Talk about elite schools and universities is likely to make those that did not have the opportunity to attend them uncomfortable.”

Sir Geoffrey also pointed out that similar problems bedevil the judiciary.

“Judges in regional courts and elsewhere often have lunch and take other breaks together,” he said.

“If the conversation is exclusively about Oxford, cricket and the latest operatic production at Covent Garden, it will exclude judges from backgrounds where none of those things is of interest.”

He added: “Minority ethnic communities may face other barriers to socialising amongst colleagues. It is, therefore, all the more important that those otherwise excluded feel included in the social life of their working communities and in incidental conversations whilst they are at their place of work.

“Making an effort to include everyone should be an active choice for all of us.”

Sir Geoffrey also said that bullying and discrimination were greater problems than people thought but that “microaggressions” in particular needed to be looked at.

“The issue I have described is obviously not the only diversity problem we face – the incidence of bullying, harassment and discrimination is less rare than many in the profession may have thought,” he said.

His comments follow a report last week that found the judiciary in England and Wales to be “institutionally racist”.