Three on fixed-term deals
The London office of Stephenson Harwood has posted its autumn 2020 trainee retention score.
The firm said 11 of its 12 September qualifying rookies were offered, and had accepted, associate roles. Three are being retained on fixed-term contracts, handing it a score of 92% or 67%, depending on how you interpret its figures.
The group, who start on a base salary of £75,000, join commercial litigation; corporate; employment, pensions and private wealth; finance; and real estate and projects practice group.
Legal Cheek’s Firms Most List shows Stephenson Harwood takes on around 20 trainees annually, on a salary of £43,000 in year one, rising to £47,000 in year two.
The nine-office-outfit also confirmed five of its six trainees in Hong Kong had put pen to paper on permanent deals. They join its commercial litigation and finance practice groups.
Lisa Marks, partner and trainee principal, commented: “This was a particularly strong cohort of qualifying trainees, and I am really pleased that so many of them will continue their careers with Stephenson Harwood. These are extraordinary times, and the world continues to reel from the impact of the global pandemic.”
She continued:
“Businesses are under more intense pressure than ever before, and it’s never been more important that we have the right people, in the right places, to support them as they face the challenges of the coming weeks, months and years. Our newly qualified lawyers form a central part of our ability to do this, and I am confident that we will continue to foster an environment in which they can fulfil their full potential and thrive in their legal careers.”
Earlier this summer Legal Cheek reported that Stephenson Harwood had become the latest law firm to embrace solicitor apprenticeships, a six-year programme which sees school-leavers split their time between the office and law school.