That’s nearly a 10% drop compared to Spring last year and 6% below September. Hardly surprising though, when you consider the restructuring Linklaters carried out during the course of their training contracts.

According to the Lawyer just 47 of the 67 trainee solicitors due to qualify in March 2010 will be kept on, giving it a retention rate of 70 per cent - much lower than the 79 per cent it achieved in March 2009. It is understood that 5 trainess actually resigned before the application process began.

By comparison, MC contemporary, A&O will retain 83 per cent of its NQs.