Clifford Chance has revealed that 49 of its 57 final-seat trainees will be joining the firm as newly qualified (NQ) solicitors this September, marking a retention rate of 86% for its autumn cohort.
London-based law firm Macfarlanes LLP is the latest firm to announce its trainee retention figures, with 24 out of 28 final-seat trainees set to stay on after qualifying next month. This represents an 86% retention rate for 2025 – a 5% increase from the 81% recorded in 2024.