Magic circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has boosted its maintenance grant from £7,250 to £10,000. Future trainees completing the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) will receive £2,750 more towards their living costs than their predecessors.

Freshfields is the second magic circle firm to introduce a five-figure maintenance grant. Earlier this year Clifford Chance also offered £10,000 in financial support to their future trainees. 

Trainee development partner Craig Montgomery said: 'We are committed to recruiting and retaining the very best talent in the market and invest in our people at every step of their career with the firm.' Earlier this year Freshfields became the first magic circle firm to pay its newly qualified solicitors more than £100,000 a year.