Hogan Lovells posts 73 per cent retention rate

The firm is keeping on 24 out of its 33 final seat trainee solicitors, a slight increase from autumn 2010, when it kept on 68 per cent of qualifiers, and significantly better than spring 2011, when it gave jobs to 56 per cent.

Elsewhere, Berwin Leighton Paisner is retaining 95 per cent of trainee solicitors, offering places to 19 out of 20 of its September qualifiers.

This is a steady result compared to its spring 2011 and autumn 2010, when it revealed retention rates of 95 per cent and 90 per cent respectively. 

The news comes following very mixed results from top 20 law firms, with SNR Denton announcing a retention rate of 56 per cent, retaining 13 out of its 23 autumn 2011 qualifiers (see story).

Allen & Overy also confirmed its lowest retention rate for more than three years, sitting at 72 per cent, keeping on 38 out of 53 trainees (see story), but Slaughter and May confirmed 100 per cent retention for its autumn qualifiers (see story).

The worst result so far was revealed by Dickinson Dees, which saw a significant drop from previous retention figures, revealing a retention rate of 36 per cent (see story).