Baker McKenzie, Clifford Chance and Macfarlanes among firms revealing autumn trainee retention results

Dimitar Dimitrov is acting senior content and events coordinator at LawCareers.Net

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Several law firms have announced their autumn 2026 trainee retention results, with rates ranging from 67% to 93% as newly qualified (NQ) solicitors prepare to begin their careers.

Among the latest results, magic circle firm Clifford Chance has reported an 82% retention rate, retaining 37 of its 45 qualifiers. All 37 trainees who received offers accepted positions at the firm. The result marks an improvement on the firm's spring 2026 retention round, when 38 of 50 qualifiers stayed on, giving a retention rate of 76%.

Baker McKenzie retained eight of its 12 final-seat trainees, equating to a retention score of 67%. Two qualifiers will join the corporate reorganisations team, with the remaining six heading to corporate M&A, private equity, disputes, employment, real estate and trade. Baker McKenzie’s interim London training principal Steve Ratcliffe welcomed the NQs and said: “After another strong year of growth in London, it is an exciting time for them to start their careers with us.”

Other law firms announcing results in recent weeks include Macfarlanes LLP, which retained 24 of its 29 qualifying trainees (83%), with all joining on permanent contracts. The firm's new associates will start on a salary of £150,000, with early careers partner Adam Campbell highlighting the firm's focus on "early responsibility, close support and exposure to high-quality work".  

Meanwhile, Bird & Bird has retained 16 of its 19 qualifiers, including two on fixed-term contracts. The firm's intellectual property team proved the most popular destination, taking on six NQs, followed by commercial (five), corporate (two), disputes (two) and employment (one). At Cripps, eight of 10 qualifiers secured roles with the firm. Six will be based in Tunbridge Wells and two in London, joining corporate, private client and real estate teams.

Elsewhere in September, Mishcon de Reya LLP posted an 86% retention rate, retaining 19 of 22 qualifiers, including six joining the firm's disputes team and another six heading to its finance division, alongside three moving into innovation, two into corporate, and one each into employment and real estate.

Earlier in the season, Addleshaw Goddard announced one of the largest retained cohorts, keeping 43 of its 50 qualifiers. The NQs will be spread across finance and projects (15), corporate and commercial (13), disputes (10) and real estate (five) teams, with placements across London, Leeds, Manchester and Scotland.

In August, Mayer Brown International LLP announced that it’d retained eight of its nine autumn qualifiers, with three heading into finance, one into corporate (employment), three into litigation regulatory enforcement and one into restructuring.

The strongest retention result reported so far this autumn, however, has come from Burges Salmon LLP, which retained 25 of its 27 qualifiers, giving the firm a retention rate of 93%.

With several major City law firms still to announce their figures, the autumn retention season continues to provide an insight into demand for NQ talent across the legal market.