US firms Shearman & Sterling and Latham & Watkins reveal high NQ retention rates
updated on 23 June 2015
Shearman & Sterling has announced that it is keeping on all 13 of its September 2015 qualifying trainees, while fellow US-headquartered firm Latham & Watkins is retaining 20 of its 21 autumn qualifiers.
The news marks a big improvement for Shearman & Sterling over recent retention rates of 85% and 75%. Latham & Watkins also records an improvement over last year’s figure of 89%. As The Lawyer reports, the vast majority of trainees at both firms will begin qualified life in London.
Mei Lian, Shearman & Sterling’s training principal, said: "We are delighted that all of our trainees have been offered, and have accepted, positions within the firm. What is particularly significant about this is that we were able to offer each of them their first choice of practice area on qualification this year."
Kem Ihenacho, training principal at Latham & Watkins, said that the rate "reflects both the quality of our trainees and the fantastic opportunities available to talented junior lawyers here".
