Osborne Clarke and Mayer Brown have posted perfect spring retention figures this year, while White & Case’s rate dropped to 87%.
Osborne Clarke has retained an impressive 100% of its spring qualifiers, a bump on the 67% it kept on last autumn. The firm had retained 89% in the spring of 2015, keeping on eight of nine qualifiers.
This spring the firm has kept all seven trainees which will qualify to positions in the firm’s three UK offices in London, Thames Valley and Bristol. Osborne Clarke training principal, partner Catherine Wolfenden put the firm’s retention rate success down to the level of guidance given to those coming through to the firm.
Wolfenden said: ‘Trainees are given real responsibilities and independence from day one with regular partner support.’
Similarly, Mayer Brown has also posted its spring qualifiers list. The firm kept on four out of four trainees. The intake is better than what it posted in September last year, when six of 11 trainees took places, for a rate of 55%.
White & Case, which retained 100% of its London trainees who qualified in autumn 2015, has announced it retained 87% of its London trainees, with 13 out of 15 taking on positions. With a successful track record, the firm says it’s important to ensure qualifiers know they have a future with the firm.
Earlier this year Slaughter and May and Nabarro improved their trainee retention figures with the latter firm retaining 89%, while the Magic Circle firm posted a 95% retention rate.
Other firms to post retention rates this spring include Herbert Smith Freehills which kept on 94%, while Weil, Gotshal & Manges scored 100% and Trowers & Hamlins retained 88% of trainees.
madeleine.farman@legalease.co.uk
Our sister website The Lex 100 has created a retention rate table which will be updated as more figures are announced.
