Norton Rose is to change the cycle of its trainee intake from January to May, as the City firm announces its latest retention figures for qualifying trainees.

This year the top 10 City law firm has had a January intake, but will also have intakes in both May and September. This will be followed in 2012 by a permanent change to intakes in May and September.

The firm said the shift comes in response to trainees' education schedule. Head of human resources Lak Purewal said: "Norton Rose is changing the cycle of trainee intakes. During their contracts, our trainees rotate through six four-month seats. In addition, they are all taking the accelerated Legal Practice Course (LPC) as part of our participation in the City LPC consortium's training course at BPP Law School.

"May and September are now the most appropriate start dates for our seat cycle rotation following the results from the two waves of [LPC] courses."

The news comes as Norton Rose finalised its retention rates for its January 2011 round of qualifying trainees. The firm has retained 26 out of 30 newly-qualified solicitors (NQs), equating to 87%.

The result is above the final retention rate at the firm both in September and January last year. Out of September qualifiers, the firm kept on 24 out of 29 (83%), while in January 2010 the number was slightly lower, at 72%, as 21 out of 29 gained an associate position with the firm.

In all of the last three qualifying rounds the firm has seen a 100% acceptance rate to the job offers made.

The news follows reported retention rates from firms including Allen & Overy, which will keep on 88% of its trainees due to qualify in March, and Nabarro, which will retain 85% of its trainees that qualify in January.