Law firm retention stats

Retention of trainee solicitors at leading law firms going back to 2001.

Getting a job at the end of training is of paramount importance and to help you estimate your chances we’ve compiled this table. It contains retention figures for each of the firms covered in the Chambers Student True Picture section in 2018. Where we have them, we also list retention figures for firms in previous years as far back as 2001, so you can judge how a firm has performed year on year.

We believe that the best way to judge and compare firms’ performance when it comes to trainee retention is a simple 'x out of y' figure (given as x/y in this table), where 'x' is the number of qualifiers accepting jobs with the firm and y is the total number of qualifiers at the firm in the calendar year. For example, at Addleshaw Goddard 37 out of 48 qualifiers accepted NQ positions with the firm in 2018. If you think a firm's retention rate looks particularly low this year, it's worth checking out its True Picture article as there may be some explanation offered.

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

Notes

Addleshaw Goddard

37/48

40/49

24/31

26/32

29/34

25/31

34/41

26/31

40/46

33/44

34/43

35/44

30/36

34/46

32/45

28/37

22/26

12/22

Pre 2003 = Addleshaws

Akin Gump

5/5

3/4

1/2

2/2

1/2

2/2

0/2

1/2

2/2

100%

Pre 2013 = Bingham

Allen & Overy

70/86

71/85

75/85

81/90

82/99

76/107

97/115

92/117

101/128

72/79

92/120

101/118

102/122

52/62*

104/117

102/114

45/54*

46/50*

*autumn qualifiers

Andrew Jackson

2/5

6/7

4/5

4/6

4/5

3/4

Anthony Collins

6/9

6/8

5/5

5/8

3/4

1/2

2/2

Anthony Gold

5/5

3/5

4/6

2/3

Arnold & Porter

0/2

1/2

0/0

2/2

0/0

2/2

0/0

2/2

0/0

2/2

asb law

2/4

4/5

1/4

2/2

2/3

Ashfords

10/15

10/13

8/10

9/10

6/14

9/17

11/15

11/12

12/12

5/8

Ashurst

38/41

36/40

30/40

38/44

43/49

43/57

45/57

47/50

41/53

42/53

43/46

43/47

36/41

36/44

44/45

44/51

30/33

47/50

Baker McKenzie

26/31

27/32

29/32

27/38

34/40

28/37

32/38

32/40

33/37

31/40

20/24

29/37

26/32

15/17

19/22

18/25

20/30

72%

Bates Wells Braithwaite

3/4

4/4

3/4

1/4

3/4

4/5

4/4

5/5

3/4

1/4

1/3

BCLP

28/41

27/44

28/40

31/47

31/39

33/44

31/37

40/41

30/37

30/40

27/31

24/27

24/28

22/27

22/29

25/31

Pre-2018 = BLP

BDB Pitmans

3/5

3/7

6/7

5/7

3/7

4/7

4/10

6/7

5/8

3/7

3/6

4/4

3/3

100%

Pre-2018 = BDB

Bevan Brittan

7/10

4/8

8/9

7/9

8/10

9/17

10/14

9/14

8/13

16/18

9/12

9/14

Bindmans

4/5

Bird & Bird

14/18

15/18

16/18

15/18

15/17

15/16

11/12

13/16

16/19

16/16

12/15

7/11

11/14

8/12

14/18

7/12

10/13

6/7

Birketts

12/12

10/10

Blake Morgan

13/15

16/16

12/18

15/17

-

6/7

-

3/5

-

8/12

-

-

-

6/8

11/14

11/12

8/11

9/14

13/15

10/14

-

6/9

-

9/14

7/9

12/19

11/12

12/19

5/6

18/23

Pre-2014 =
Blake Lapthorn
Morgan Cole

Blandy & Blandy

2/3

0/2

2/3

Blaser Mills

4/5

4/ 5

3/4

2/4

BLM

15/22

17/21

20/30

21/26

Boodle Hatfield

5/5

4/5

3/5

2/5

4/5

3/5

3/6

5/6

4/7

4/6

3/6

1/4

6/6

3/4

5/6

2/4

3/4

B P Collins

1/2

2/4

3/4

3/3

2/3

2/4

3/3

0/1

3/5

3/3

3/4

1/1

3/3

BPE Solicitors

3/ 6

3/3

2/2

4/5

1/1

4/4

Brabners

6/6

5/6

4/6

5/ 6

2/6

4/6

4/8

3/9

5/10

6/11

7/10

4/7

5/10

5/8

6/10

50%

6/7

Brachers

2/3

2/2

2/4

4/5

Bristows

10/10

6/9

8/9

8/10

8/9

8/10

6/8

7/8

7/7

4/6

8/8

6/7

6/8

8/9

3/7

5/7

Browne Jacobson

12/13

9/12

8/10

7/8

7/9

8/8

6/8

10/12

6/12

5/8

8/11

8/10

7/10

6/10

9/9

7/8

4/9

BTMK

2/3

2/2

1/2

3/4

2/4

2/5

3/4

Pre-2005 = TMK

Burges Salmon

26/27

28/28

23/27

24/24

20/22

21/23

22/22

17/20

21/22

19/21

19/20

14/19

14/18

16/18

19/19

19/21

16/17

95%

Capital Law

0/2

4/4

2/2

Capsticks

4/6

6/6

5/5

5/6

4/4

2/3

4/7

3/5

4/7

7/7

Charles Russell
Speechlys

23/26

17/24

18/25

22/30

12/19

14/20

18/19

11/15

16/20

13/19

12/16

10/16

11/15

12/14

9/3

10/13

14/19

Pre-2015 =
Charles Russell

9/13

10/13

8/9

14/15

8/12

5/6

4/5

5/6

3/5

2/5

1/5

2/5

3/5

Speechly
Bircham

Clarion Solicitors

2/5

4/5

3/4

4/4

2/4

2/3

Pre-2007 =
McCormicks

Clarke Willmott

7/8

5/10

9/10

Cleary Gottlieb

10/11

8/8

9/9

12/13

11/11

7/8

12/14

5/5

5/7

6/6

5/5

3/3

4/4

Clifford Chance

81/95

73/98

83/103

86/92

85/101

102/126

87/113

94/109

102/136

102/135

119/132

94/119

112/122

57/61

57/63

56/63

89/102

Clyde & Co

40/46

35/43

34/43

34/45

42/43

35/37

42/48

23/25

22/25

17/23

17/19

14/21

14/16

18/21

15/20

18/ 20

13/17

CMS

85/122

85/110

38/56

36/55

63/89

46/61

51/62

42/57

47/61

48/59

48/58

45/56

30/35

23/27

44/50

29/34

31/35

9/12

14/20

8/11

2/7

1/ 1

2/ 2

3/3

Dundas

23/27

19/22

21/24

22/27

22/28

19/20

29/34

24/29

29/31

25/27

8/16

14/19

26/30

19/21

24/26

20/25

Nabarro

5/8

12/8

14/16

12/20

9/4

7/12

13/24

17/24

18/23

14/18

17/19

13/15

18/27

17/23

10/19

50%

Olswang

Coffin Mew

3/7

2/2

4/7

2/5

4/5

2/3

4/5

2/3

Collyer Bristow

1/4

5/6

1/4

3/4

5/5

2/3

3/4

2/3

3/3

2/3

1/3

6/8

3/3

Cooley

3/3

6/6

5/6

4/7

3/8

5/8

7/8

5/7

6/8

2/7

5/8

2/8

2/3

6/8

7/14

9/12

Pre-2015 = EWP

Covington & Burling

7/8

5/6

7/7

5/7

5/6

6/7

4/4

2/4

4/4

Cripps

7/10

8/10

7/9

9/9

7/7

7/8

4/7

7/8

6/8

4/7

7/7

4/7

4/6

4/8

Curtis

0/0

1/1

3/3

0/0

DAC Beachcroft

25/31

23/31

29/38

31/38

26/30

26/28

22/25

18/27

23/26

24/29

70%

Davis Polk

2/4

3/5

Debevoise

7/8

Dechert

6/10

5/10

8/11

11/12

7/10

5/9

5/7

23/36

5/10

3/10

7/12

6/9

8/13

8/14

8/12

9/16

Dentons

18/28

14/19

17/20

25/32

26/35

29/39

23/36

19/39

27/45

25/31

26/32

23/37

34/48

28/48

42/51

Pre-2013 = SNR Denton

DLA Piper

75/98

59/74

65/74

70/89

56/77

75/90

69/77

79/97

54/86

64/77

72/80

52/72

62/78

60/71

67/71

53/59

62/65

DMH Stallard

4/6

4/9

6/9

8/9

8/10

7/7

3/7

4/7

4/4

4/5

Dorsey & Whitney

1/4

3/4

2/3

DWF

33/50

29/47

36/48

39/48

30/40

16/20

16/16

17/19

16/16

14/15

8/9

6/7

5/6

8/8

7/8

7/7

Eversheds Sutherland

31/44

40/52

46/57

51/58

45/55

65/76

38/43

71/87

55/78

65/89

64/86

58/74

62/81

90/100

75/100

80/93

85/110

Farrer & Co

9/10

7/10

8/10

9/10

9/9

10/10

9/10

10/10

7/8

7/9

7/8

7/7

5/6

8/8

6/9

8/8

Fieldfisher

17/20

0/0

15/21

16/18

11/16

11/12

11/11

9/12

9/10

8/10

8/0

Fladgate

4/5

4/4

Foot Anstey

9/12

8/9

6/6

5/6

6/7

5/5

4/4

9/13

6/9

6/6

9/10

10/10

5/6

4/5

1/2

100%

Forbes

4/4

3/4

4/5

5/5

7/10

2/3

4/9

4/5

3/4

Forsters

5/7

5/6

3/4

4/4

1/4

4/4

Fox Williams

1/2

1/3

3/5

1/3

2/4

Freeths

18/18

14/14

8/10

7/8

9/12

6/7

4/6

5/7

3/5

7/7

6/7

4/7

6/7

7/8

6/8

4/5

Freshfields

66/83

60/79

71/80

81/96

74/89

78/94

82/94

88/95

78/95

80/100

85/90

84/94

45/52

89/101

68/77

89/98

42/47

71/75

Fried Frank

2/2

Gateley

14/16

12/14

10/14

8/17

9/12

5/16

5/6

7/10

5/9

8/9

4/6

7/7

4/6

4/5

5/5

3/6

Geldards

4/6

3/6

4/6

3/4

7/8

8/10

7/13

7/12

11/14

Goodwin

2/3

Gordons

4/5

1/4

5/7

2/7

3/6

8/8

5/5

Gowling WLG

23/32

30/39

17/22

10/13

27/32

12/19

17/22

10/12

27/31

16/23

27/32

12/21

26/28

17/20

21/25

12/17

17/18

12/16

15/17

11/16

17/17

8/16

17/17

14/16

13/15

11/15

15/17

6/8

Pre-2016
= Wragges
LG

Harbottle & Lewis

4/5

3/6

4/5

3/5

4/5

1/4

5/6

3/4

2/3

3/4

2/2

2/3

1/3

2/2

3/4

Herbert Smith Freehills

65/75

55/70

63/64

71/77

79/89

54/66

83/100

85/103

76/100

48/68

68/76

67/74

36/41

52/57

41/52

51/61

44/52

50/57

Hewitsons

5/5

7/7

0/4

5/8

6/7

Higgs & Sons

3/4

5/5

0/6

3/5

4/4

2/6

2/2

0/4

3/4

4/5

2/2

3/3

Hill Dickinson

12/14

11/12

13/14

12/17

15/19

14/20

29/36

15/16

22/26

11/15

14/17

7/11

7/9

7/8

7/9

6/8

8/9

8/10

Hodge Jones & Allen

6/10

4/6

5/7

3/5

4/7

3/4

2/5

1/3

3/4

1/4

2/4

Hogan Lovells

54/62

47/59

50/59

46/61

52/67

51/74

57/73

44/69

54/79

54/77

56/79

48/66

33/36*

30/35*

31/34*

25/35*

95%

*Autumn qualifiers

HFW

15/18

12/14

12/13

13/16

15/18

13/14

9/13

13/15

11/12

11/11

7/10

7/8

7/9

8/10

6/10

5/6

100%

Howard Kennedy

7/7

4/4

2/4

Howes Percival

3/6

5/6

5/8

6/8

4/7

4/9

5/8

4/7

4/6

Hugh James

4/5

8/8

7/9

7/10

7/9

3/7

9/10

6/7

4/6

IBB Solicitors

3/4

3/5

6/7

3/4

3/5

Ince Gordon Dadds

9/10

8/9

11/15

11/16

10/15

12/14

14/15

10/12

11/12

9/9

6/8

11/12

7/12

7/10

6/9

Irwin Mitchell

50/59

49/64

29/44

29/36

36/45

38/46

31/41

28/32

21/25

21/23

16/21

19/25

17/23

11/14

11/13

12/13

14/15

80%

4/6

2/2

6/6

4/4

Thomas Eggar

Jones Day

13/18

16/21

11/16

15/15

9/11

14/17

11/12

18/23

7/11

11/19

16/19

20/21

15/20

16/16

18/20

11/17

8/10

13/15

Pre-2003 = Gouldens

K&L Gates

7/9

5/8

6/7

7/9

3/7

7/8

6/8

0/0*

5/7

6/8

7/10

9/10

7/9

8/9

8/10

Pre-2005 = NGJ

Kennedys

16/21

5/8

15/18

16/18

13/18

20/21

10/12

12/15

7/10

Kingsley Napley

7/7

5/6

5/5

4/5

5/5

4/5

5/5

Kirkland & Ellis

10/10

5/9

7/7

7/9

5/5

4/5

4/6

6/6

Latham & Watkins

23/24

22/22

17/20

20/21

16/18

13/14

12/13

14/15

7/9

1/2

Laytons

7/7

3/5

6/8

6/10

Leigh Day

11/12

8//10

6/8

4/6

5/8

1/5

Lester Aldridge

4/8

8/9

4/6

5/6

4/6

5/6

4/5

6/8

4/7

6/7

4/5

4/4

3/4

6/6

5/6

4/5

Lewis Silkin

4/4

5/5

3/7

3/6

7/7

5/6

3/5

5/6

4/6

2/6

4/8

1/6

4/7

4/6

6/6

2/6

Linklaters

86/
110

91/
107

97/
110

95/
109

103/
115

97/
111

100/
122

102/
117

109/
136

109/
141

112/
133

114/
132

103/
122

111/
131

112/
137

54/65

44/49

Lupton Fawcett

2/4

1/2

Macfarlanes

27/29

29/31

26/27

21/25

26/30

20/28

25/30

28/31

22/27

21/25

24/25

19/22

21/21

13/14

14/16

16/16

14/15

Mayer Brown

12/15

10/13

11/16

12/23

17/28

16/25

15/25

15/28

21/31

26/29

18/28

14/18

15/17

15/22

11/17

16/20

9/13

Pre-2002 = Rowe & Maw

McDermott Will & Emery

1/2

2/3

1/1

3/5

4/5

3/3

2/2

3/3

1/1

2/2

Memery Crystal

3/5

2/3

3/5

3/4

2/4

3/5

2/3

4/5

Michelmores

5/8

4/6

5/7

6/6

3/4

7/7

5/6

6/9

6/6

4/4

Mills & Reeve

17/18

14/17

12/16

14/17

16/19

17/20

15/21

8/22

21/23

18/22

19/23

15/19

16/17

15/20

18/24

13/17

14/16

9/12

Mishcon de Reya

9/14

11/11

10/13

8/11

6/7

9/18

6/7

12/15

6/10

7/8

6/7

5/7

6/8

5/9

Morgan Lewis

4/5

4/6

5/5

3/5

1/1

4/5

Morrison & Foerster

3/4

3/3

2/3

3/3

2/4

1/2

Muckle

0/1

4/4

3/3

0/2

2/4

2/3

5/6

1/2

0/1

6/6

3/4

4/5

Mundays

1/2

Norton Rose Fulbright

38/50

39/43

45/57

41/48

24/26

36/46

40/46

45/58

47/55

42/48

53/60

33/35

28/31

48/63

26/2

50/54

O'Melveny

2/3

1/3

Orrick

4/6

4/4

3/6

4/4

2/5

2/8

5/11

0/0

8/10

5/8

2/4

Osborne Clarke

18/20

21/24

17/19

14/18

12/15

13/17

10/13

14/17

16/18

12/21

12/15

11/21

17/26

9/9

11/13

16/25

11/17

16/19

Palmers Solicitors

2/2

2/3

Pannone
(Slater & Gordon)

9/12

12/20

7/14

13/19

14/15

11/13

6/7

7/9

5/7

7/11

4/7

Paris Smith

3/3

Paul Hastings

4/6

6/8

2/3

4/4

2/3

2/2

4/9

4/7

3/5

1/2

Payne Hicks Beach

3/3

1/2

2/2

0/3

Penningtons Manches

11/14

9/12

10/13

14/17

8/9

7/12

5/6

6/10

6/11

7/10

9/13

5/12

8/12

5/10

7/11

7/10

1/5

Pre 2014 =
Penningtons

6/10

8/10

8/12

6/11

6/10

9/10

7/8

6/7

5/8

Manches

Peters & Peters

2/2

0/0

1/2

2/2

1/1

Pinsent Masons

54/67

67/91

51/69

60/86

65/83

68/84

69/97

41/56

37/61

35/63

57/64

36/48

38/47

32/38

26/34

23/33

33/43

80%

Pre-2005 = Pinsents

8/12

6/18

5/15

9/15

8/11

12/17

1/5

10/15

8/12

McGrigors

20/30

15/25

10/19

18/24

Masons

Pitmans

3/3

Prettys

3/5

2/6

1/4

4/5

2/4

3/4

3/5

RadcliffesLeBrasseur

4/6

5/6

8/11

Reed Smith

22/27

15/24

22/25

20/22

26/32

23/34

15/16

18/25

21/29

19/28

18/22

4/6

18/23

6/7

14/19

5/5

10/13

3/4

11/13

2/3

11/12

-

15/20

Richards Butler

Ropes & Gray

8/9

4/5

6/7

Royds Withy King

5/9

RPC

14/18

14/17

14/20

15/19

15/16

13/18

13/15

13/13

10/12

16/18

12/13

9/10

8/11

9/10

7/10

8/10

4/6

6/7

Russell-Cooke

8/12

7/8

4/6

1/3

2/4

2/3

100%

Samuel Phillips

0/2

1/1

Shakespeare Martineau

10/14

6/8

8/11

8/9

6/9

5/10

6/10

4/9

8/9

10/12

7/8

8/13

7/11

9/13

Pre-2015 = SGH

Shearman & Sterling

11/13

12/16

13/13

9/13

11/13

7/8

10/12

7/7

5/6

5/5

4/5

Sheridans

2/2

1/1

0/1

1/1

Shoosmiths

15/21

12/21

15/19

15/ 20

14/23

9/20

16/16

9/12

15/18

9/15

10/13

9/11

8/12

7/10

10/13

4/10

8/10

11/15

Sidley Austin

5/10

7/8

10/11

8/11

7/9

9/9

7/9

7/7

8/10

7/10

5/8

4/5

4/4

6/7

5/5

3/4

5/6

Simkins

2/2

Simmons & Simmons

28/32

33/42

19/37

30/43

33/39

27/34

36/46

22/32

36/50

30/50

33/42

30/45

42/57

29/43

35/54

23/31

24/35

Skadden

8/9

7/8

6/8

7/7

5/5

8/8

6/7

5/5

3/3

3/4

2/2

Slater & Gordon

6/6

Slaughter and May

67/74

54/57

68/76

67/79

71/74

81/94

68/77

81/88

75/85

72/79

78/85

80/87

72/83

52/57

72/76

43/47

42/45

44/48

Squire Patton Boggs

17/23

15/23

18/20

14/18

20/26

19/27

26/33

14/21

30/38

26/40

31/38

33/39

30/40

27/31

25/32

34/48

35/42

37/41

Steeles

1/3

3/4

4/4

Stephens Scown

6/10

2/3

4/5

5/5

3/3

Stephenson Harwood

13/17

13/16

15/17

13/17

13/16

12/14

10/14

9/15

15/18

7/9

8/13

8/10

6/11

8/12

7/16

13/21

Stevens & Bolton

4/4

4/5

3/3

4/5

0/3

3/4

4/4

2/4

3/4

2/3

1/3

2/3

Sullivan & Cromwell

4/5

4/4

Taylor Vinters

5/6

5/7

3/7

5/7

5/5

4/5

2/5

3/4

Taylor Wessing

21/23

16/26

17/22

20/24

20/22

19/23

19/22

14/18

19/24

15/24

17/23

16/22

13/17

13/14

11/17

15/23

12/20

17/23

Teacher Stern

2/3

3/4

3/6

2/4

4/4

2/5

1/6

Thomas Cooper

3/3

2/4

1/4

2/2

3/3

5/5

3/4

3/3

3/4

Thomson Snell & Passmore

4/4

Thrings

5/6

7/9

4/6

2/4

4/5

TLT

15/15

7/14

13/17

10/12

10/11

10/12

14/17

13/14

9/11

6/6

8/11

5/5

1/4

1/3

2/4

2/3

3/5

5/5

Travers Smith

26/26

22/24

20/21

23/24

16/17

22/23

20/22

20/24

17/21

13/18

15/18

15/16

13/14

12/13

12/16

12/18

9/13

15/17

Trethowans

2/3

3/4

1/3

1/4

3/5

3/4

2/3

5/5

3/3

3/4

0/2

Trowers & Hamlins

18/22

17/21

14/18

13/17

19/20

8/13

6/8

12/17

17/21

13/18

15/18

14/14

12/13

10/13

11/14

13/14

8/13

Vinson & Elkins

2/3

3/4

2/2

3/7

3/4

2/3

3/4

3/3

2/4

2/2

1/1

VWV

6/9

6/6

7/9

3/7

8/10

7/9

10/12

3/4

10/12

3/5

6/7

6/6

5/6

8/8

3/5

2/3

Walker Morris

13/19

14/14

14/16

11/12

11/16

16/19

7/9

15/17

14/20

8/11

15/15

9/14

13/15

11/15

11/13

8/11

6/10

Ward Hadaway

13/16

6/8

4/9

12/12

7/12

8/11

7/9

6/8

5/10

6/9

10/10

7/10

6/8

6/7

8/8

6/8

5/8

Warner Goodman

0/1

1/1

2/3

2/4

3/5

3/3

Watson Burton

2/3

7/8

7/10

Watson Farley & Williams

16/19

15/15

13/14

9/13

10/14

12/14

10/12

10/13

10/12

11/12

9/11

8/12

9/10

8/10

7/10

10/13

5/12

9/13

Wedlake Bell

4/6

5/6

3/6

5/7

5/6

0/0

4/6

3/6

7/8

3/6

4/6

2/5

5/6

4/4

4/6

1/4

Weil

11/14

5/10

12/14

9/9

12/12

6/8

9/13

11/13

7/10

11/13

7/8

5/9

5/8

8/12

3/7

8/8

5/5

100%

White & Case

34/41

30/35

27/35

27/27

26/28

23/28

25/32

15/16

25/27

25/28

21/25

12/13

11/13

19/20

12/13

8/9

3/3

100%

Wiggin

2/3

2/2

1/2

3/5

2/3

0/3

3/3

1/3

Wilkin Chapman

2/3

7/7

1/2

Wilsons

3/4

2/4

2/3

5/5

2/4

2/5

0/4

2/4

3/3

Winckworth Sherwood

7/7

4/7

6/6

4/6

4/5

10/15

2/4

4/4

Winston & Strawn

0/1

Withers

10/11

8/11

10/12

8/12

10/13

5/6

9/15

13/17

15/18

11/19

11/13

9/12

12/13

9/13

10/12

10/10

7/10

8/12

Womble Bond Dickinson

17/26

22/27

18/24

18/23

18/21

25/28

12/17

13/15

9/12

4/11

11/11

9/19

14/15

15/17

17/21

12/14

-

-

-

13/14

13/19

-

-

-

Pre-2013 = Bond Pearce

Dickinson Dees

Retention of trainee solicitors at leading law firms going back to 2001.

Trends affecting the legal profession

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