BLP announces 88 per cent retention rate

The top 20 law firm is holding onto 15 out of 17 of its March qualifying trainee solicitors, showing a fall from the same point in 2011 where the firm achieved 100 per cent.

The results are also slightly lower than the September 2011 qualification round, where the firm held onto 95 per cent of its qualifying trainees, with 19 out of 20 accepting NQ roles.

The news follows SJ Berwin revealing a 100 per cent retention rate for its spring qualifiers, keeping all eight of its trainee solicitors.

This showed a good boost from the same point in 2011, when the firm announced it was keeping only 67 per cent of its trainees (18 January 2011).

Elsewhere, Stephenson Harwood has given five out of six of its final seat trainee solicitors a permanent NQ position, giving it a retention of 83 per cent.

White & Case’s figures also pointed to recovery in the NQ market, revealing 94 per cent retention rate with 15 out of 16 accepting positions at the US-headquartered firm (9 January 2012).