Law firm Harrison Clark Rickerbys has held its inaugural Trainee Solicitor Awards.

The firm’s trainees were judged on several criteria, including dependability, enthusiasm and excellence in their fields.

Charlotte Avery, Chris Herford, Emme Kent and Rachel Nolloth were all recognised as “outstanding trainees”.

Each trainee has the chance to work in four different departments during a two year period and the award winners demonstrated their ability in each seat rotation, as well as their commitment to the paralegal and trainee group, supporting various firm-wide and charitable activities and events.

The law firm also retained all of its newly qualified solicitors this year, an increase of 21.8 per cent on the national average retention figure for trainees qualifying into UK law firms.

Robert Capper, partner and head of Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ commercial department, said: “We introduced Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ Trainee Solicitor Awards this year as we felt it important to recognise those who have embraced the overall trainee ethos and who have made a contribution to the trainees as a group, as well as to the wider firm.

“The quality of submissions we received was very impressive and it wasn’t an easy decision to select the winners, but it is clear that these trainees really have excelled in their roles.”