Taylor Wessing retention falls to lowest in almost a decade

Taylor Wessing has posted 62 per cent retention for September 2017, its lowest result in nine years.

With 26 trainees reaching qualification, it is the firm’s largest ever intake. Sixteen will remain with the firm as newly-qualified solicitors.

Two trainees each will qualify into the firm’s patents; IT, telecoms & competition; disputes; private client, private equity, private capital/corporate finance, and real estate, planning & environment practices.  A further one each will qualify into the construction and tax teams. 

Head of the UK graduate recruitment committee Kirstie McGuigan said: “Our commitment to developing top quality lawyers remains a priority. We want to work with the best talent; the best legal minds and the best business instinct. It’s disappointing our retention rate is down on last year, but that’s a product of a number of factors and doesn’t paint the full picture.“

Rumours have been swirling for months that retention across the country will be poor this autumn, with fewer newly-qualified (NQ) roles are on offer than in past years.

This morning, Freshfields announced that it was to retain just 66 per cent of its intake this September. Overall, 28 firms have published their results so far, with 79 per cent of trainees retained at the firm that trained them – down on the 82 per cent average of the last few retention rounds.