Two prominent UK law firms have disclosed their newly qualified (NQ) solicitor retention rates for 2026, offering a window into the health of their talent pipelines and the strategic priorities driving their recruitment efforts. Burges Salmon and Russell-Cooke have reported figures of 93% and 75% respectively, reflecting distinct but equally telling approaches to developing and keeping junior lawyers in an increasingly competitive legal market.
Burges Salmon retains 93% of 2026 trainees, with strong Bristol and Edinburgh placement
Burges Salmon has announced that it will retain 25 of its 27 trainees qualifying in 2026, achieving an impressive 93% retention rate. This figure significantly exceeds the industry average for large regional and national firms, which often hovers between 70% and 80%. The firm, which operates offices in Bristol, London, and Edinburgh, has placed the majority of its incoming NQs within its core corporate and commercial practice areas, reinforcing its longstanding reputation as a dominant force in the South West legal market and beyond.
Of the 25 retained NQs, 22 will join the firm’s Bristol headquarters, while the remaining three will take up positions in the Edinburgh office. This geographic distribution underscores Burges Salmon’s dual strategy of maintaining a strong regional hub while expanding its Scottish presence. The Edinburgh office, which opened in 2021, has steadily grown its roster of trainees, reflecting a deliberate effort to capture work from the Scottish legal and business communities, particularly in areas such as energy, infrastructure, and financial services.
Departmental breakdown reveals strategic emphasis on key practice areas
The allocation of the 25 retained NQs across Burges Salmon’s departments provides insight into the firm’s current and anticipated workload. Five NQs will be entering the pensions practice, making it the single largest cohort. This suggests a sustained demand for pensions advisory work, likely driven by ongoing regulatory changes, the increasing complexity of defined benefit scheme management, and the firm’s strong client base in the public and private sectors.
Four NQs will each join the corporate, projects, and real estate teams. These three practice areas form the backbone of Burges Salmon’s transactional and infrastructure advisory offering. The equal allocation reflects a balanced demand for deal making, project finance, and property law expertise. Two NQs will enter both the construction and engineering and employment departments, indicating steady but targeted demand in these specialist fields.
Finally, one NQ apiece will start in banking and finance, dispute resolution, planning, and private client. The single appointments in banking and finance and dispute resolution are noteworthy, as these are traditionally large departments at many comparable firms. Burges Salmon’s more modest intake in these areas may reflect a deliberate choice to maintain a lean team structure or a strategic focus on cross-departmental collaboration rather than high-volume hiring. The private client appointment, meanwhile, points to the firm’s continued investment in wealth management and estate planning services, an area that has seen steady growth due to demographic trends and tax complexity.
Russell-Cooke reports 75% retention, with diverse practice area spread
Russell-Cooke has reported a retention rate of 75%, with six of its eight qualifying trainees accepting NQ positions. While lower than Burges Salmon’s figure, this rate is still competitive for a firm of its size and focus. Russell-Cooke is known for its strong presence in London and Surrey, with particular expertise in litigation, real estate, and private client work. The six retained NQs will each join a different team, highlighting the firm’s emphasis on breadth over depth in its trainee development model.
Each retained NQ joins a distinct department, reflecting broad-based demand
The six departments welcoming Russell-Cooke’s new NQs are: corporate and commercial, education, immigration, employment, private client, and PI and medical negligence. The fact that no two NQs are entering the same team suggests that the firm is addressing specific resourcing needs across its practice groups rather than concentrating junior talent in any single area. This approach can be particularly effective for a mid-sized firm, as it allows for more tailored supervision and a clearer path to early responsibility for each associate.
The inclusion of the education and immigration departments is notable. Education law is a specialist niche that has grown in prominence due to regulatory developments in the independent schools sector and increased scrutiny of admissions and safeguarding policies. Immigration law, similarly, has seen heightened demand driven by post-Brexit policy changes, global mobility
