Clifford Chance to slash 2015 trainee intake
Clifford Chance has confirmed that it will be cutting its trainee intake for 2015 from up to 120 to a maximum of 100.
The firm said the decision reflected the number of lawyers it expected to need in the UK in the coming years, and follows a redundancy round for London associates earlier this year resulting from a low attrition rate among newly qualified lawyers (NQs) (23 March 2012). The news was first reported on RollonFriday.
A Clifford Chance spokesperson said in a statement: “The new target will be to recruit up to 100 a year. This follows more accurately the number of English-qualified lawyers we anticipate needing for our English law practice in the UK and the rest of the world in a few years’ time.”
The move also sees the firm put back its announcement of NQ appointments for trainees from December to January next year.
The spokesperson added: “There’s no particular reason other than that we’re making sure that the timings for various things works together. The run-up to the end of the calendar year is usually very busy for us, and this year is no exception, and it makes more sense to make final decisions on NQs when we can give it appropriate partner time and attention.”
Clifford Chance’s NQ retention rate for September 2012 qualifiers was 77 per cent, with 50 jobs offered to 62 qualifying trainees (24 July 2012).
Readers' comments (15)
Anonymous | 5-Dec-2012 11:30 am
That's appalling abuse...oh... they're just slashing the numbers.
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jason | 5-Dec-2012 1:16 pm
before somone embarks on spending about £90k to do get through the under-graduate and post-graduate phase ot their legal education, perhaps someone should tell poor unsuspecting 6th formers about this. it perhaps reflects a wider reduction in the number of trainee positions in the profession.
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Anonymous | 5-Dec-2012 3:24 pm
Jason, before embarking on spending huge amounts of money on the post-graduate phase of their legal education, perhaps the current crop of would-be lawyers should consider ensuring that they have a training contract in place. Basic common sense, and I have very little sympathy for people who come out of law school having sunk £20k into the GDL and LPC without having thought to try and ensure they had a job at the end of it first.
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Anonymous | 5-Dec-2012 4:44 pm
Clifford Chance have made an announcement that they are reducing numbers (from 120 to 100). How else should they inform sixth formers?
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Anonymous | 5-Dec-2012 9:57 pm
Both Jason and the Anonymi are quite correct, but not looking far enough ahead. In ten years time the legal profession (other than the elite city firms and those catering for various niche markets) will consist of call centres of paralegals supervised by one solicitor or licensed conveyancer) and the only beneficiaries will be those running the courses paid for by the deceived sixth formers.
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Anonymous | 6-Dec-2012 7:38 am
Grow up People, 2015 long way off who knows what will happen then, but at end of the day it up to Clifford chance make there own choice and is no body business what they do so as they say future not written yet so is open to change.
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Anonymous | 6-Dec-2012 9:43 am
Before I start let me say I work in a large law firm but not Clifford Chance.
Before anyone critises this action just think it costs at least £150,000 to get a trainee to a newly qualified lawyer. At the moment all law firms have lawyers with spare capacity. Put these two facts together and they either don't need some of their newly qualifieds/associates or they don't need all their trainees.
We've just heard from George Osborne that austerity is going to continue into 2018.
Therefore proper headcount planning for any law firm is essential.
But also note - what can be said of newly qualified/associates can also be said of partners.
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Anonymous | 6-Dec-2012 10:36 am
@Anonymous 3:24pm
It is very easy for students who already have a TC in the bag to get on their high horse and say that those of us who "sunk" £20k into the GDL and LPC without a TC in place lack common sense. I did just this and halfway through the LPC (along with many fellow students) I got a TC at an American firm in the City. Although I definitely believe that students need to be realistic about their chances before spending vast quantites of money on legal education, hard work definitely pays off in the end and it is perfectly possible to get a TC halfway through the LPC. Don't write people off before they have even started the GDL!
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botzarelli | 6-Dec-2012 12:30 pm
I can empathise with the plight of those who optimistically enter into the GDL and LPC without having an offer of a job to go to but I wonder at whether it is a good thing.
The successful ones may well end up being the entrepreneurial risk-takers who are needed to ensure long-term survival of their firms but they are also perhaps the least well-placed temperamentally to provide their clients with sensible advice on risk, which is ultimately what a great deal of legal practice is all about...
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Anonymous | 6-Dec-2012 1:27 pm
I will actually say to complete strangers expressing an interest in the profession, unless you or your parents have contacts good enough to get you a training contract, then don't incur the debt.
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Anonymous | 6-Dec-2012 2:43 pm
At a careers session at school last week, my 14 year old son was told that many people want to become lawyers, but only 10% will make it because there are more applicants than places. So the message is filtering down, in some places.
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Anonymous | 7-Dec-2012 9:03 pm
What does this mean for the trainee intake in 2013 and 2014? Assuming it a 120 intake, will they be much less likely to be kept on?
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Anonymous | 7-Dec-2012 10:01 pm
@ anonymous 9.43. It's always trotted out how much it costs to employ a trainee 250k i've heard.How they get to those figures can be done many ways, but put it this way all city trainees (if they're not insanely lazy) bill far more than their total cost over 2 years. Trainees are not an expense.
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Anonymous | 11-Dec-2012 11:57 am
@ Anonymous | 6-Dec-2012 1:27 pm. I, like many others managed to secure a training contract at a city firm after finishing my LPC. Of all the law graduates I know with training contracts, I have only come across one who used their 'parents' contacts' to get an interview.
Spreading that image of the profession is inaccurate and unfair, particularly to all the graduates that worked to get their tcs. The reality is that now, because of the enormous number of law graduates seeking a tc, getting one is very tough. Better advice is that if you have impeccable grades, a good degree from a good university and are willing to spend some getting commercial experience then you stand as much chance as any other good candidate. If you don't, you will find it very difficult.
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Anonymous | 5-Jan-2013 4:02 pm
Sixth formers shouldn't be worrying about training contracts! If a sixth former wishes to practice law, Clifford Chance isn't the only firm they can apply to. Of course, CC announcing that they're reducing their intake would suggest that other firms will follow suit, but this should not put those who wish to study and/or practice law off. Those who are most capable and will excel in their undergrad studies will have much less to fear about the reduction.
However, this will encourage sixth formers and first year undergraduates to get as much work experience as they can, as early as they can. Hey, free labour for high street firms.
Finally regarding the LPC and GDL, most magic and silver circle firms will reimburse the fees or part of the fees. Funding it yourself also shows firms that you are committed to the profession and thus more employable compared to a 2nd year undergrad applying for a training contract. After all, the average trainee age is 26/27.
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