DLA Piper and SJ Berwin are among the latest firms to announce their autumn trainee retention rates, with both set to keep on around three quarters of their qualifying trainees.

DLA Piper is keeping on 73% of its September qualifiers, with the firm offering roles to 60 of its 77 newly qualified (NQ) lawyers. Of those, 56 accepted a job at the firm. The result is down on last autumn, when the firm retained 83% of its qualifying trainees.

SJ Berwin has posted a 74% retention rate after 14 of its NQs accepted a role at the firm, out of 16 applicants. Three chose not to apply.

The figures mark a significant increase on the same point last year when the firm retained 64% of its intake, an effect of deferrals offered at the firm in 2010. However, the rate is slightly down on March's intake, when 79% of the firm's NQs stayed on.

Meanwhile, Shoosmiths has blamed "continued economic uncertainty" after announcing a reduced provisional retention rate of 41%.

The firm, which last year kept on all of its 16 qualifiers, this year made 11 offers to its 22 qualifiers, with nine accepting. The firm said it is still waiting on two qualifiers to confirm, therefore its final rate could yet reach the 50% mark.

A spokesperson for Shoosmiths said: "Because our trainees are recruited so far in advance, it's always difficult to predict exactly what our requirements will be at qualification time. Continuing economic uncertainty makes that doubly difficult, and unfortunately we have fewer vacancies at this point in time for NQ solicitors than trainees. We're hoping more vacancies will become available between now and September, should the economy pick up."

Elsewhere, Nabarro is keeping on the 15 NQs it offered jobs to, out of 18 qualifiers, to give a retention rate of 83%. Eleven roles will be based in London, and four in Sheffield. The result is up on the same point last year, when the firm posted a 69% retention rate.

Stephenson Harwood and Taylor Wessing also both recently revealed details of their autumn NQ intakes.

Stephenson Harwood has kept on eight of its ten September qualifiers, with the 80% retention rate marginally up on last autumn, when the firm held on to 75% of its NQs.

In contrast, Taylor Wessing retained 70% of its qualifying trainees after 16 NQs took a job at the firm out of a 23-strong cohort. Three chose not to apply. The result is significantly down on the same point last year, when 86% of the firm's NQs stayed on. The firm said it was "disappointed" with the result.

Taylor Wessing graduate recruitment partner Tim Worden said: "We always try to retain as many NQs as possible; having trained them we expect them to be first-rate associates with good prospects for continued career growth at Taylor Wessing.

"It's obviously disappointing that our retention rate isn't as high as normal this year. Every year we try our best to match the needs of our various practice areas with the areas into which our trainees wish to qualify, but it's not always easy to find the perfect match. We hope our retention will be back up to normal levels again next year."