The latest round of trainee retention is over, and retention rates have continued to rise - hitting an impressive overall average of 86%. The full numbers are as follows:

Firm
Number of trainees
NQs retained
%
Stephenson Harwood
5
5
100
Weil Gotshal
2
2
100
Osborne Clarke
5
5
100
Travers Smith
7
7
100
Slaughter and May
-
-
96
BLP
21
20
95
Ashurst
22
21
95
Reed Smith
16
15
94
White & Case
13
12
92
Clifford Chance
57
52
91
Herbert Smith
48
43
90
TLT
10
9
90
Freshfields
45
40
89
Norton Rose
30
26
87
MacFarlanes
7
6
86
Nabarro
13
11
85
Allen & Overy
64
54
84
Linklaters
60
49
82
Simmons & Simmons
15
12
80
Pinsent Masons
14
11
79
Wragge & Co
7
5
71
Cameron McKenna 30
22
70
Bircham Dyson Bell
7
4
57
Hogan Lovells 36
20
56
 
Overall, it looks like a pretty good effort from almost everyone involved. Congratulations to those at the top of the table. But boo to those at the bottom. When previously asked, Bircham Dyson Bell declined the opportunity to comment. Still, at least Hogan Lovells was able to improve a (tiny) bit on earlier predictions of a bonfire of the trainees.

Well done in particular to Reed Smith - trapped on an ugly 69% last year - which has recovered strongly to deliver an excellent 94%. Sadly, it comes six months too late for those who were flung out last time round...

So, how do these results compare to previous years? RoF Scientists have thrown together this chart which shows the continuing improving trend.

  Trainee retention over the past four seasons
 
From the nadir of June 2009 when overall retention slumped to a miserable 57% (in part thanks to shocking performances from miserly Scottish firms), it's been onward and upward, with retention rates increasing with every season.

If you know something about trainee retention that we don't, please send it in.

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