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Watson Farley & Williams keeps 16 of 18 qualifying trainees

All in first-choice spots


Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) has retained 16 of its 18 qualifying trainees to post an impressive 89% retention rate.

All of the rookies retained will be qualifying into their first-choice departments, the firm confirmed to Legal Cheek.

This marks a 11% boost on last year where the firm keept on 14 of 18 trainees for a retention rate of 78%.

According to the Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2025 WFW recruits around 19 trainees each year. New joiners begin on a salary of £48,500 in their first year of training, rising to £52,000 in their second year.

On qualification, WFW NQs can expect to receive a pay packet of £102,000.

NEW: The 2025 Legal Cheek Firms Most List

This latest retention news comes on the back of a strong financial year at the international firm which saw global income rise 11% to £238.4 million.

This boost in income brought with it a 7.2% rise in the outfit’s profit, reaching a new high of £66.8 million, with PEP rising by 1.5% to £593,000 despite a 5.7% increase in the firm’s partnership over the past year.

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