Baker McKenzie: Reports 67% Autumn Trainee Retention Rate

By Legal Cheek on Sep 3 2026 8:07am Baker McKenzie has posted a 67% autumn trainee retention score, keeping on eight of its 12 qualifying trainees. All eight rookies will join the global giant on permanent contracts, with none retained on fixed-term deals. The new qualifiers will be spread across a range of practice areas, with four joining the firm’s corporate teams. Of those, two will qualify into corporate reorganisations, while MA and private equity will each take one NQ. The remaining four will join disputes, employment, real estate and trade, with one qualifier heading to each practice. The Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2027 shows Baker McKenzie offers around 40 training contracts each year, while newly qualified lawyers at the firm earn £150,000. Steve Ratcliffe, interim London training principal at Baker McKenzie, commented: “It is a pleasure to welcome our newly qualified lawyers into their new roles at the firm. They have made valuable contributions during their training contracts and we look forward to seeing them continue to develop and succeed as part of our team. After another strong year of growth in London, it is an exciting time for them to start their careers with us. Our international network provides a fantastic platform for our lawyers to work with colleagues across practices and jurisdictions on some of the most complex and innovative cross-border matters in the market, providing an outstanding foundation for their careers. The Legal Cheek Podcast explains why this often overlooked stat matters for aspiring lawyers