Herbert Smith and Norton Rose have both confirmed their trainee retention rates for this September's intake, with the former retaining 80% of its newly-qualified lawyers (NQs).

Forty-five out of 56 trainees will be kept on at the firm this autumn, with the 80% figure static on last autumn's qualification round, when the firm took on 44 of 55 NQs. However, the retention rate is slightly down on this spring's intake, which saw 88% of NQs kept on.

Meanwhile, UK top 10 peer Norton Rose has offered 19 NQs roles at the firm out of an intake of 23, with 18 acceptances resulting in a 78% retention rate for the September qualifying group.

The numbers are the same as the firm's March intake, when 18 qualifiers were also offered a position at the firm, but slightly down on last September's figure of 88%.

Norton Rose recruitment head Sarah Kelly said: "As always, we are keen to retain our very best people. Our business continues to grow, allowing us to offer more positions than we did in the January qualifying round."

The latest figures comes after Allen & Overy last week reported a 79% retention rate for its autumn qualifying round, up from last September's 74% intake, while Nabarro retained 69% of its qualifying trainees – a significant drop from last autumn's figure of 95%.

Other firms confirming retention rates so far have included Linklaters, which saw its percentage drop to 78%, and Irwin Mitchell, which kept on 76% of its autumn NQs.

Meanwhile, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Bird & Bird and Field Fisher Waterhouse have all announced they will be keeping on more than 80% of their intake.