KWM is retaining 57% of its qualifying trainees this Autumn. Freshfields has fared better.

KWM, known as SJ Berwin until its Chinese merger three years ago, is waving goodbye to six of its 14 autumn qualifiers. One has moved to a client, two were not made offers and three withdrew from the process after the firm couldn't find them places in their preferred practice areas. It is the latest in a string of low trainee retention rates for the firm. This spring, it posted 70%, but last autumn it kept on just 60% and in spring 2015 it managed only 67%.

    KWM trainees parting ways, yesterday

In sharp contrast, Freshfields has achieved its highest retention rate in five years. Offers were made to 40 of its 42 qualifiers, and none turned the Magic Circle firm down. As it happens, May's bumper pay rises at the firm mean they will be on £85,000 as NQs. While it consistently retains 80% or more of its cohorts, the last time Freshfields kept on more than 89% was in 2011, when 96% of its September qualifiers were retained.

    Oh, Jones Day

Elsewhere, Hogan Lovells has made offers to 25 of its 30 September trainees, 24 of whom accepted. The majority, 54%, are qualifying into its corporate department. And litigation boutique Stewarts Law has appeared on the ROF table for the first time. Known for representing the families of MH370, the shareholders of RBS and Guy Ritchie, it is retaining three out of five of its trainees.

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