44 out of 61
International law firm CMS has posted its 2020 trainee retention score.
Of the 61 trainees due to qualify this September, 44 will be staying put as newly qualified (NQ) associates — or 72%. CMS confirmed it made 46 offers.
The outfit’s London office will take 32 new recruits, Glasgow and Aberdeen will receive four each, Sheffield gains three, and one will start lawyer life in Edinburgh.
CMS confirmed NQ pay remains the same and there have been no deferrals to qualification or training contracts.
Legal Cheek‘s Firms Most List shows the London-based NQs will start on a base salary of £73,000. CMS’s rookies earn £43,000 in year one and £48,000 in year two.
The 72-office-outfit — which formed in 2017 through a three-way merger between CMS Cameron McKenna, Nabarro and Olswang — was a strong performer in our Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey 2019–20, scoring A*s for tech and peer support, as well as As for training, quality of work, partner approachability, perks and office.
Earlier this month, Sidley Austin and Mills & Reeve posted results of 100% (11 out of 11) and 89% (16 out of 18) respectively — although both scores include one associate on a fixed-term contract.
