Law firms have cut back on their graduate intake, research revealed last week, as other professional services firms have stepped up their recruitment by as much as a third.

A survey of 226 organisations, including more than 25 large law firms, conducted by the Association of Graduate Recruiters revealed that law firms anticipate a slight drop of 1% in their intake of trainees this year.


In contrast, investment banks will take on a third more graduates this year while business consultancy firms, accountants and retail banks will all increase graduate recruitment by more than a quarter.


Herbert Smith: static intake

Starting salaries for trainees will remain at a median of £28,500 in 2005, compared to £35,000 at investment banks.

Kerry Jarred, graduate recruitment manager at City firm Herbert Smith, said the firm's graduate intake would remain static at 80 trainees this year.


She said: 'We have our resources about right at the moment, and have stuck at 80 trainees for a couple of years. The fact that investment banks are recruiting again means that the number of applications has dropped, although we still receive a huge amount. Last year we had just over 2,000 applications, whereas in 2003, when the investment banks were not recruiting, we benefited with a record 2,500 applications.'


Maxine Lawrence, graduate recruitment manager at US/UK firm Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw, said: 'Our recruitment remains static at 25 to 30 trainees per year, but we have seen the number of applicants steadily increase, with 1,000 applications last year.'