Freshfields asks trainees to delay start date

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has asked some of its trainees to push back their start dates in a bid to “even out” the size of its intakes.

The magic circle firm currently has 64 trainees due to start in August 2010, but only 32 set to join the following February.

Freshfields UK trainee recruitment head Deborah Dalgleish claimed the firm has always seen a trend in people favouring a summer start date over a winter one.

She said: “We usually have to do this every year because most trainees want to take a break or go travelling after doing their Legal Practice Course (LPC). We have to even out the numbers so that we get a balanced intake.”

The firm’s August 2009 and February 2010 intakes will not be changed.

The news comes after Lovells (12 February) asked its autumn 2009 as well as its spring and autumn 2010 intakes to defer. Simmons & Simmons (12 February) has also asked for volunteers from their March 2009 intake to delay their start dates by 12 months.

Meanwhile, DLA Piper has asked a number of its potential trainees due to start in 2009 to defer their start dates until 2010 (see story).

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