Linklaters has announced a September trainee retention rate of 84%, with 47 out of 56 qualifying trainees staying on with the firm.

The magic circle firm made job offers to 53 qualifying solicitors, with 6 choosing not to accept.

In spring 2016 the firm reported an 83% retention rate, with 45 of the 54 trainees accepting offers.

Earlier this year, Linklaters announced that it was increasing basic pay for newly qualified (NQ) lawyers by £1,000, with NQs now receiving around £90,000 when basic salary and bonuses are combined.

Trainees at the firm start on £43,000, rising to £49,000 for second years.

Magic circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer recently announced a September trainee retention rate of just 66%, with 27 out of 41 qualifying trainees staying with the firm. The firm made offers to 29 qualifying solicitors, but only 27 accepted roles.

The firm's trainee development partner Farah Ispahani said: "Our retention rates across each intake vary as we balance a number of different factors when determining the offers that we make to individuals."

In July, Slaughter and May unveiled a 91% trainee retention rate. The firm confirmed that two trainees, out of the total 32, withdrew from the process before offers were made and that offers were made to all of the remaining 30, with one declining a role.

Allen & Overy's September retention rate was 85%, with 40 out of 47 qualifying trainees accepting offers.

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