Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Berwin Leighton Paisner have announced their trainee retention rates for the second intake of 2013, with both firms keeping on more than 80% of qualifying lawyers.

Freshfields is keeping on 81% of its autumn qualifiers, with the magic circle firm offering roles to 40 of its 48 newly-qualified (NQ) lawyers, with 39 accepting.

The magic circle firm also kept on 39 NQs in March when positions were offered to 40 of 46 qualifiers, equating to a retention rate of 85%.

Meanwhile, BLP's September retention rate is significantly higher than the 64% the firm posted this spring. The firm has offered roles to 18 of 21 NQs, with all accepting, giving it a retention rate of 86%. In March BLP offered 14 of its 22 qualifiers a position at the firm.

Both sets of figures are broadly in line with the same time last year when Freshfields kept on 89% of its September qualifiers and BLP retained 80%. Freshfields offered jobs to 43 of its 46 NQs, with 41 accepting.

The news comes after Ashurst also recently confirmed its September intake, keeping on 24 out of 30 trainees, equating to a retention rate of 80%. The NQs are spread across the firm with seven in the corporate, commercial & competition practice, five in energy, resources, real estate and infrastructure, seven in finance and five in disputes. The figure is up from January, when 70% of Ashurst's NQs stayed on at the firm.