76% figure includes apprentices
Eversheds Sutherland has announced an autumn retention rate of 76%, with 32 out of 42 qualifying trainees committing their futures to the firm.
Eversheds confirmed that 33 out of the 42 trainees were offered a position. One trainee chose not to apply, another accepted an offer from a different firm, and eight trainees applied for a role but were unsuccessful
An additional five trainees qualified six months early in March this year through “time to count”, bringing the firm’s annual trainee retention rate to 79%.
This figure includes the firm’s third cohort of legal apprentices, three of whom have joined the firm’s practice teams as qualified lawyers.
The firm’s newly qualified UK cohort are 75% female and 25% male, with 28% being of minority ethnicity.
The new associates will be based across the firm’s UK offices in the company commercial, litigation and dispute management, employment, labor and pensions, and real estate practice groups.
Lorraine Kilborn, chief people officer at Eversheds, commented:
“We’re thrilled to celebrate another great year for our trainee and legal apprentice cohorts who have now embarked on their careers as qualified lawyers in our UK, Hong Kong and European offices. We’re immensely proud to attract talent from diverse socio-economic backgrounds and our lawyers continue to support a strong pipeline of exceptional trainees and apprentices on their route to becoming qualified lawyers.”
The retention score follows the firm’s decision to increase the salaries of its newly qualified lawyers in London by 5%, from £95,000 to £100,000. Regional NQ rates also increased, from £62,000 to £65,500
