84%
Freshfields has released the retention rate for its spring 2025 qualifying trainees, recording an 84% result.
The Magic Circle player is set to keep on 38 of its 45 qualifying rookies, with all trainees who received offers accepting them.
This marks a very slight percentage dip from the outfit’s autumn retention figure of 86%, where the firm kept on 37 of it’s 43 trainees. The new 84% figure matches that posted last spring, with 31 of 37 trainees kept on.
The Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2025 shows Freshfields takes on around 90 trainees each year. Pay begins at £56,000 in year one of the training contract, £61,000 in year two, and hits a bumper £150,000 on qualification. These sums are the same across the rest of the Magic Circle.
Craig Montgomery, partner and training principal at Freshfields, commented:
“We are pleased to see so many of our trainees choosing to continue their careers with Freshfields. This reflects both their remarkable talent and the leading development opportunities provided by our Trainee Associate Programme. The March 2025 cohort represents an outstanding group of individuals who embody the values of collaboration and excellence that define Freshfields.”
“We are proud to support their growth as they embark on the next phase of their careers and contribute to the continued success of our global practice,” Montgomery added.
