CMS Cameron McKenna has given jobs to 16 of its 26 NQs, defending the 62% trainee retention rate as "uncharacteristically low".

The firm said it made offers to "in the region" of 80% of its cohort of trainees qualifying this Spring, but a number of them spurned the firm and opted to go in-house instead or leave the law entirely (and one is on a short-term contract, with 9 months to go). Last Autumn's result was also, erm, uncharacteristically low, when CMS kept on 65% of trainees. Though at least CMS copped to the poor result, unlike BLP, which tried to fiddle the figures and would have got away with it if it hadn't been for pesky RollOnFriday.

    BLP yesterday

Meanwhile, 15 out of Pinsent Masons' 19 trainees qualifying this Spring have won roles at the firm. Its 79% retention rate is in line with last September's result, when 76% of its larger, 66-strong autumn intake was retained.

Simmons & Simmons is boasting about a healthy 80% retention rate, announcing that it's given 12 out of 15 trainees NQ jobs, and found one of the other three an in-house position. However unlike other firms it refused to disclose if any of its new NQs are on short term contracts, so all of them could be out of a job by the end of the week.

     

Elsewhere Baker & McKenzie has produced a strong 82% result, with 14 out of 17 trainees staying on. And there's a bit of good news for Hogan Lovells, which has improved its 69% score. A trainee who was holding out has finally accepted a job with the firm, lifting its retention rate to 72% and securing her release from the rack.

If you know your firm's trainee retention figues, let RoF know.
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Comments

Anonymous 03 April 15 10:39

The fixed term contract fiddle by CMS is nothing new, they give those out at every rotation to try and boost their figures. They also like to include in their figures the handful of NQs that they ship out to the regional offices in qualification which happens in most rotations as well. The number of London trainees actually given full term contracts in the London office is always around 50-60%.