Kirkland & Ellis has seen its 2017 trainee retention rate in London drop to 55%.

The firm confirmed that five trainees out of nine are to stay on in permanent roles in September.

Kirkland posted a 100% retention rate in 2016, when all seven qualifiers who began their traineeship in 2014 were kept on.

Earlier this year, Kirkland put a cap on associate salaries in London to avoid large fluctuations in pay caused by volatile exchange rates.

The firm is understood to have introduced an upper end limit at $1.63 to every £1 and a lower end cap at $1.25 to every £1.

The changes only apply in London.

The firm also posted its 2016 financial results in April, with revenue rising 15% to $2.65bn (£2.12bn) and profit per equity partner (PEP) passing the $4m mark.

The firm, which in recent years has taken steps to change an 'eat-what-you-kill' reputation, saw PEP soar nearly 14% to $4.1m (£3.3m) last year.

Other major firms to have announced trainee retention rates include Slaughter and May, which is retaining 91% of its cohort of trainees this autumn.

The rate is up compared to last year's autumn intake, when the firm kept on 89% of its trainees.

Slaughters remains the only magic circle firm to have announced retention rates thus far.