Oxbridge graduates make up less than 1% of each year’s total graduates
Almost a third of trainee lawyers of the Magic Circle firms are graduates of Oxford or Cambridge, research has revealed.
The data comes from the Chambers Student Guide’s interview of 2,500 trainee lawyers in the last three years. The study found that 31.4% of trainees at Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters, and Slaughter and May went to Oxbridge, in spite of the elite universities contributing less than 1% of each year’s graduating class.
The study also found that 76% of trainee lawyers at the 139 leading law firms in the UK come from Russell Group universities, which include Oxbridge.
Russell Group graduates, excluding those from Oxbridge, made up 47% of Magic Circle trainees. Among these trainees, 13.1% are from UK schools while 8.8% are from overseas schools.
Oxbridge graduates also make up a substantial group among trainees at US firms in London. The study found that graduates from the elite duo make up 24% of trainees at these firms. It also found that 50% of trainees at US firms in London come from Russell Group universities outside of Oxbridge, with 16.5% coming from UK schools and 9% coming from overseas schools.
The Magic Circle recently increased their pay package for newly qualified lawyers to £100,000.
