Simmons & Simmons puts 2016 retention woes behind it with solid 80% spring result

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By Thomas Connelly on

Twelve trainees have accepted full-time associate roles

International law firm Simmons & Simmons appears to have put its 2016 woes behind it today, unveiling a solid spring retention score of 80%.

The firm, which offers around 35 training contracts annually in the UK via two intakes, revealed that 15 trainees are due to qualify this month. To break down the figures, 14 newbies applied for associate positions, with 12 receiving and subsequently accepting offers.

According to Legal Cheek’s Most List, Simmons’ newly-qualified (NQ) lawyers will pocket £68,000 a year and have an annual hours target of 1,435.

Today’s solid, but far from spectacular, result will no doubt come as a relief to the firm. Back in autumn 2016 Simmons retained just half of its trainees. From a slightly larger qualifying cohort of 24, the firm — which announced last summer it was to make a “very small number” of its London-based lawyers redundant — kept hold of just 12 NQs.

Commenting on today’s more positive result, Simmons’ graduate recruitment partner, Devarshi Saksena, said:

We are pleased with the March 2017 results and I’d like to congratulate everyone on their qualification. Trainee development is an important part of the strategy of the firm and we’re receiving great feedback on our new skills academy. I wish all our trainees the very best for the future.

Simmons — which scored As for training and peer support in the Legal Cheek Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey — is now the ninth City firm to reveal its spring score. Kicking off another exciting retention season back in December, magic circle outfit Slaughter and May trumpeted a perfect 100% result, hanging on to all 25 of its NQs.

Other firms to have released their 2017 figures are Macfarlanes (100%), Mayer Brown (100%), Trowers & Hamlins (93%), Hogan Lovells (79%), Herbert Smith Freehills (77%), Clifford Chance (67%) and Berwin Leighton Paisner (55%).

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