Trainee retention: March 2011 results in
11 March 2011
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.