Slaughter and May has retained 35 of its 37 final-seat trainees, giving it a retention rate of 94.6 per cent.
It puts the firm behind only Herbert Smith Freehills in terms of the spring trainee retention round.
After Slaughters, Freshfields is the best performing magic circle firm, with 84 per cent retention.
| Spring 2024 retention so far | Trainees retained (permanent) | Fixed term contract | Trainees left | Percentage retained (permanent) | Percentage retained (perm + FT) | Total number of qualifiers |
| Herbert Smith Freehills | 29 | 0 | 1 | 96.7 | 96.7 | 30 |
| Slaughter and May | 35 | Not disclosed | 2 | Not disclosed | 94.6 | 37 |
| Freshfields | 31 | Not disclosed | 6 | Not disclosed | 83.8 | 37 |
| Cripps | 5 | 0 | 1 | 83.3 | 83.3 | 6 |
| Linklaters | 40 | 1 | 8 | 81.6 | 83.7 | 49 |
| Allen & Overy | 30 | 0 | 9 | 76.9 | 76.9 | 39 |
| Clifford Chance | 40 | 0 | 16 | 71.4 | 71.4 | 56 |
| RWK Goodman | 1 | 0 | 3 | 25.0 | 25.0 | 4 |
