A survey of 30 City law firms has revealed why candidates turn down offers of alternative positions in private practices. Legal recruitment consultants Laurence Simons International discovered 80 per cent of candidates, when offered alternative positions, did not want to move from their present position, 17 per cent refused because they had already accepted alternative offers and 3 per cent refused for personal reasons. “It's a return to the late 1980s,” said Daniel Lewis, of Laurence Simons. “What's also interesting is that the days of the second and third interview appear to be gone.” Lewis added the trend for counter-offers by existing employers is on the up.