Hogan Lovells, SJ Berwin and Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) have become the latest UK top 20 firms to confirm their trainee retention figures for spring 2013, with all three posting lower rates than the equivalent intake last year.

Hogan Lovells has posted a 76% retention rate after 26 newly qualified (NQ) lawyers accepted a role at the firm, from an intake of 34 trainees.

The retention rate is slightly up on last autumn, when the firm kept on 27 of its 37 NQs (73%), but down on the same point last year, when 83% of its qualifying trainees were retained.

Meanwhile, SJ Berwin has kept on 11 NQs after offering 12 of a 14-strong intake a role at the firm. The 79% retention rate is up on last autumn's figure of 64%, when the firm kept on 27 of its 42 trainees, but down on last spring, when all of its eight qualifying trainees took a role at the firm.

Elsewhere, HSF has kept on 24 trainees out of 32, resulting in a retention rate of 75% – down on last spring's intake, when the firm retained 88% of its NQs.

Earlier this month, Clifford Chance and Linklaters posted retention rates for their spring trainee intakes of 82% and 83% respectively, marking the last of the magic circle firms to report rates, following Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (85%), Allen & Overy (70%) and Slaughter and May (86%).

Other firms in the UK top 20 to have confirmed spring retention rates include Norton Rose, which has kept on 76% of its March NQs after 13 of its 17 qualifying trainees accepted jobs; Berwin Leighton Paisner, which offered 64% of its 22 NQs a position at the firm; and Addleshaw Goddard, which saw 100% retention after all five of its NQs accepted a job at the firm.