Bristol’s two biggest law firms have maintained their near 100% trainee retention rate despite the challenges caused this year by the coronavirus pandemic.
Burges Salmon, which employs more than 800 people in its Bristol headquarters and London and Edinburgh offices, said 97% of its trainees had accepted positions at the firm after qualifying. They start their careers this month. 
Meanwhile, Osborne Clarke has retained 95% of its 2020 qualifiers – including all seven at its Bristol base, where it employs around 600 staff.
Burges Salmon said this year’s trainee retention rate meant it had achieved a 96% average over the past five years, including 100% in 2017 and last year.
This year’s cohort of 29 qualifying trainee solicitors – of which two thirds are female – will join a range of teams across the firm, including banking, construction and engineering, pensions, employment, corporate and dispute resolution.
Burges Salmon said it had to adapt its induction for its newly qualified lawyers, with supervisors focused more on supporting learning through regular contact with them for both work and pastoral considerations.
The firm has also recently rolled out a new, innovative learning management system (LMS) called ‘Learning at Burges Salmon’, offering its lawyers the flexibility to learn when it suits them.
Managing partner Roger Bull, pictured above, said: “It is with great pleasure we announce another year of high trainee retention rate.
“At Burges Salmon we are committed to being an exceptional place to work and to recruiting, retaining and motivating the highest calibre of people.
“We consider our trainee programme to be market leading and it is great to see this reflected in the continued exceptional retention rates.” 
Osborne Clarke’s 95% retention rate means 22 out of its 23 trainees are staying on as newly qualified solicitors – seven in Bristol and 15 based in its Thames Valley and London offices.
UK managing partner Ray Berg, pictured right, said: “Congratulations to our newly qualified solicitors. They have all worked exceptionally hard and I am thrilled so many have chosen to stay with us.
“We aim to keep as many of our trainees as possible and our high retention rates are a testament to the quality of our programme and the supportive and inclusive culture we offer at Osborne Clarke.”
Partner and training principal Catherine Wolfenden said Covid-19 had proved a challenge but the firm had successfully adapted its training programmes and was looking forward to welcoming its new cohort in September.
“We have fine honed our training programme to make sure our trainees get the skills they need to equip them for their futures in the legal profession,” she added.
“We are able to provide dedicated partner support and mentoring, and we encourage our trainees to build relationships at all levels of the business.”
Pictured below: Osborne Clarke’s 2020 cohort of newly qualified solicitors. Top row, from left: George Bristow, Alex Farrell-Thomas, Sam Furse and Lucy Gillespie. Bottom row: Georgie Green, Natalie Paddock and Amelia Wigmore
