At least nine in 10 trainees at magic circle and international firms are being retained this year, figures collected by the Gazette suggest.

Linklaters retained 91% of its March qualifiers compared with 86% in 2014. This year offers were made to 49 out of 54 trainees, all of which were accepted.

Clifford Chance also retained 91% of its cohort, making offers to 41 out of 45 trainees. In March 2014 the firm kept 45 of 48 (94%).

Slaughter and May, which had 42 trainees, made 37 offers, all of which were accepted. In March 2014 it made offers to 38 of its 40 trainees.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer retained 85% of its spring qualifying trainees – a 5% increase from last year. The magic circle firm made offers to 44 out of the 48 trainees who joined the firm in February 2013. Three trainees declined their offers, resulting in 41 trainees staying on.

International firms also delivered some good news with their spring 2015 retention rates.

White and Case retained 100% of London trainees who qualified in February 2015, after all 13 accepted positions at the firm. This follows a 100% retention rate 12 months earlier, when 14 trainees accepted positions at the firm.

Norton Rose Fulbright achieved an 81% retention in its March qualification round, compared with a 77% retention rate in September 2014. Last month, 26 trainees qualified, two resigned and 21 offers were made, all of which were accepted.