Irwin Mitchell is keeping on 47 qualifiers as newly-qualified (NQ) solicitors this autumn. It has a total of 52 trainees approaching qualification, giving it a retention figure of 90 per cent.

The firm will welcome 24 NQs to its personal injury, court of protection and public law teams, with 16 joining the business legal services division while seven more take up roles in private wealth. None are on fixed-term contracts.

Head of early careers Marissa Sanders said: “We’re really pleased to be able to retain 90% of our trainees during what is clearly a strange time for all businesses. The calibre of our trainees the training and support they receive is excellent and we look forward to them working with them.

“With many of our partners having started their careers with us as trainees, we wish our latest NQ solicitors similar success in the years to come.”

Meanwhile Watson Farley & Williams has kept on 17 of 18 qualifiers, or 94 per cent, all on permanent contracts. Six go to assets and structured finance; two to corporate; and one each to projects; debt capital markets; employment; dispute resolution; and real estate. The final four NQs will join the firm’s overseas offices; namely Singapore, Hanoi, Athens and Bangkok.