Strong results of 85% and 100%
Ashurst and Ropes & Gray are the latest law firms to reveal their spring 2022 trainee retention scores.
Ashurst has announced that it’s retained 17 of its 20 trainees due to qualify next month, giving the firm an 85% retention score.
All were offered permanent positions in the London office, with four newly qualified (NQ) solicitors joining the corporate team, three NQs joining disputes, another three joining projects and the remaining seven qualifying into competition, digital economy, employment, funds, global markets, restructuring and tax, respectively.
The retained rookies can expect to see their salaries more than double, from £52,000 as second year trainees to £105,000 upon qualification. Ashurst boosted NQ base rates to six-figures at the start of this year.
Ruth Buchanan, employment partner and training principal at Ashurst, commented:
“We are pleased with the results of our March qualification round. As a firm we are committed to supporting our people in their development and look forward to continuing to help these talented young lawyers to thrive as they build extraordinary careers.”
Ashurst is now the fourth of five silver circle law firms to reveal their spring retention scores. Macfarlanes revealed a score of 100% (6/6), following Herbert Smith Freehills and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner’s 83% (24/29) and 72% (13/18) scores. Travers Smith is yet to reveal its latest score.
Meanwhile, Ropes & Gray has confirmed a retention score of 100%. The two March qualifiers will join the firm’s private equity transactions and asset management practices on permanent contracts in London. The US outfit retained 100% of its qualifying cohort in spring 2021 also.
Our Firms Most List shows that the two rookies can expect to earn £147,000, more than double the £62,500 they earn as second year trainees.
Ropes & Gray scored an A* for quality of work and an A for training in our latest Trainee and Junior Lawyer survey.
Check out our latest coverage of law firms’ spring 2022 retention scores.
