With things looking increasingly difficult for new joiners.

Ashurst adds to the growing list of firms that have seen this year’s NQ intakes shrinking. The firm only offerd 14 out of 21 NQs a job, giving it a retention rate of 67%. That’s nearly 20% down on 2009.

And Field Fisher Waterhouse has introduced verbal and logical reasoning tests to its recruitment criteria whilst reducing the number of training contracts on offer from 20 to 15.

The news is not all negative though; some firms have held up NQ retention rates. The magic circle firms offer a snapshot of this year’s mixed outlook.

Linklaters is keeping 70% of its trainees – that’s 47 of the 67 due to qualify in March 2010, 9% down on last year.

Allen & Overy managed to squeeze in a heroic 87% of its March 2010 qualifying intake.

Freshfields has reported a 78 per cent retention rate keeping on 39 of its 50 NQs, 8% down on last year.

And Clifford Chance is retaining just 44 of the 63 trainee solicitors, a retention rate of 70 per cent.

There is the odd cliff jumper however – Dentons has announced that it has only managed to offer 1 of its 7 NQs a job. That’s a 14% retention rate – considerably down on last year’s 79%.