Herbert Smith and Norton Rose have both confirmed their trainee retention rates for this September’s intake, with the former retaining 80% of its newly-qualified lawyers (NQs).

Forty-five out of 56 trainees will be kept on at the firm this autumn, with the 80% figure static on last autumn’s qualification round, when the firm took on 44 of 55 NQs. However, the retention rate is slightly down on this spring’s intake, which saw 88% of NQs kept on.