Eversheds, Ashurst, SJB and Hogan confirm new retention figures

Trainee retention rates at the UK's leading law firms are recovering strongly this year as activity levels begin to pick up in the wake of the downturn.

The average retention rate for September intakes across the UK top 30 firms currently stands at 81%, an improvement of seven percentage points on September 2009, based on the number of qualifying trainees due to remain at their firm.

A handful of top 30 firms, including Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, have yet to confirm their retention rates, but of the 22 firms to disclose figures so far, 15 have announced rates of over 80%, while four have kept on more than 90%.

Firms to have recently released figures include Eversheds, which is due to retain 83% of September qualifiers, with 72 out of 87 remaining with the firm, while Ashurst is keeping on 27 out of 31, equating to a rate of 87%.

Meanwhile, Hogan Lovells is keeping on 71% of its UK intake for September, with 29 out of 41 qualifiers staying on at the newly-merged firm.

Outside the top 10, CMS Cameron McKenna will keep on 27 of 33 qualifiers (82%), although retention rates remained low at Pinsent Masons for the second year in a row, with just 55% of qualifiers kept on.

SJ Berwin was one of a number of firms to improve rates from last September, with 78% of 37 qualifiers kept on – an increase of 7% on last year's figure of 71%.

SJ Berwin graduate recruitment and trainee development partner Bryan Pickup (pictured) commented: "Like most people, we are feeling more positive than we were a year ago and that is reflected in our retention figure. A year ago things were looking pretty bleak but now there is a sense that the economy on the whole is on a slow upward track. Our preference is always to retain people and now there is a feeling of being a bit more confident about the future."

Macfarlanes has posted the highest retention rate among the UK top 30 so far this year with 94%, closely followed by Slaughter and May at 93%.