14 of 23
Gowling WLG will retain 14 out of 23 trainees due to qualify this autumn, handing the firm a score of 61%.
It would appear competition for spots was particularly Hugh in the firm’s London office where there were only six roles up for grabs among 10 trainees.
Three eventually secured roles in the capital while Legal Cheek understands one additional rookie is set to relocate to the firm’s Birmingham office while another will join the firm’s team in Dubai.
Gowling isn’t a regular when it comes to publishing its retention scores but when it does these have typical been 80% or above, making this latest score somewhat of anomaly.
A Gowling WLG spokesperson said:
“Our newly qualified lawyer appointments are made in line with the needs of the business, ensuring we continue to invest in the areas where client demand is strongest and where we see the greatest opportunities for growth. The process is focused on maintaining the high-performance culture that underpins our success and providing our trainees with the opportunity to build long-term careers at the firm.”
The Legal Cheek Firms Most List shows Gowling recruits up to 25 trainees each year, with NQ salaries currently set at £105,000 in London and £65,500 in Birmingham.
The firm recently announced the launch of a new training contract pathway for those seeking to qualify in real estate, which runs alongside its existing programme.