Ropes & Gray and Latham & Watkins have set out plans to expand their trainee programmes in London, as both firms post strong retention rates for their autumn qualifying intakes in the City.

Ropes has retained all five of its newly qualified (NQ) lawyers – the first batch to qualify with the firm in the City – with the autumn intake including a number of ex-Dewey & LeBoeuf trainees cast adrift when the firm collapsed last year.