Travers Smith keeps 18 of its 20 NQs following summer salary boost

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By Thomas Connelly on

City outfit chalks up impressive 90% autumn rate

Travers Smith has confirmed that 18 of its 20 trainees due to qualify this month are staying put. This gives the firm, which offers around 25 training contracts annually, an autumn retention result of 90%.

Eight soon-to-be associates will join Travers’ corporate team, while tax and dispute resolution will receive three apiece. The City outfit’s finance, financial services, employment, and competition departments will gain one newly qualified lawyer (NQ) each.

The solid retention result follows a series of summer pay uplifts for the firm’s young lawyers.

NQ salaries increased from £71,500 to £75,000 (up 5%), while trainees saw pay packets bumped to £43,500 in year one and £49,000 in year two (up 2% and 3% respectively). Legal Cheek’s Most List shows that Travers’ fresh faced associates are now on an earning par with their peers at DLA Piper, Norton Rose Fulbright and Hogan Lovells.

Travers — which posted a 94% score this time last year (17 out of 18) — was one of the standout performers in Legal Cheek’s Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey. It was rated A* for training, partner approachability, peer support, and social life, while it scored As for quality of work, office, and perks.

Last month we reported that Travers, following a similar move by CMS, had relaxed its dress code. The firm told its lawyers, trainees and support staff that they could now wear “business casual” clothing when not with clients.

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