Harbottle & Lewis 0% retention rate?

[Logan1101]

I am considering applying to Harbottle & Lewis TC as they accept penultimate year law students but found this Rof article: link that says that they had a 0% retention rate during Covid and was the only firm to report this which looks really bad. Is anyone aware of whether the retention rate has improved since then?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

I am considering applying to Harbottle & Lewis TC as they accept penultimate year law students but found this Rof article: link that says that they had a 0% retention rate during Covid and was the only firm to report this which looks really bad. Is anyone aware of whether the retention rate has improved since then?

It was nearly three years ago and at a very odd time (in the height of the worst retraction in the economy in 300 years). I think it’s slightly deceptive that it’s the only firm to have reported this - many firms may not have reported their figures and even if they did, having only three trainees meant the figure was always going to be skewed somewhat.

I wouldn’t take this as an indication of the firm’s usual retention rates.

 

[Logan1101]

It was nearly three years ago and at a very odd time (in the height of the worst retraction in the economy in 300 years). I think it’s slightly deceptive that it’s the only firm to have reported this - many firms may not have reported their figures and even if they did, having only three trainees meant the figure was always going to be skewed somewhat.

I wouldn’t take this as an indication of the firm’s usual retention rates.

I hope it's not. I am not sure how common it would be for trainees to lateral to another firm after qualifying but it would be far from ideal to have to do this out of necessity rather than you being offered positions by different firms.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

I hope it's not. I am not sure how common it would be for trainees to lateral to another firm after qualifying but it would be far from ideal to have to do this out of necessity rather than you being offered positions by different firms.

In the instance you are talking about, all the trainees secured other roles, so clearly were in demand from other firms anyway.

There is a whole recruitment market around hiring NQs, so I wouldn’t worry to much about how common it is - it happens a lot across firms.