Law firms are struggling to hold on to their associates, according to a report released this week by the NALP Foundation for Law Career Research and Education and legal recruiting firm Major, Lindsey & Africa, which surveyed more than 800 law firms between 2012 and 2018.

The firms' average attrition rate - defined as associate departures in a calendar year divided by total associates employed on Jan. 1 - was 18%, the study found.

According to the survey, 54% of the associate departures were "unwanted."

Female and minority associates left their firms at higher rates compared to male and white associates. The average rate of minority attrition was 22%, compared to 17% for non-minorities. The average rate was 18% for females and 17% for males.

Associates cited unmet work quality and productivity standards among their top reasons for leaving their firms. For entry-level lawyers, wanting to pursue specific practice interests was the top impetus for their moves.

Meanwhile, partner moves continued to trickle in in the latter half of the week. Here are some of the most notable additions and exits since the last Career Tracker:

Barnes & Thornburg added Mark Stignani as a partner in its Minneapolis office. Stignani joins the firm's corporate department from Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner.

Benesch added partner Emily Newhouse Dillingham to the firm's litigation practice in Chicago. Dillingham represents clients in complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on consumer fraud, false advertising, and trade secret misappropriation. Dillingham joins Benesch from Arnold & Porter.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner added litigation and appellate partner Jean-Claude André from Sidley Austin. He joins in Los Angeles to co-lead the firm's appellate and supreme court group.

Clifford Chance has brought on Simon Persoff as a partner in the firm's global corporate practice and tech group. Persoff joins in London from DLA Piper.

Ashley Bell has joined Dentons as a partner in its public policy practice. Bell, who will be based in Atlanta and will maintain a presence in Washington, D.C., was policy advisor for the White House Opportunity Revitalization Council in the Office of American Innovation and as regional administrator for the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Fullerton Beck has welcomed five new attorneys – Wayne Rabinowitz, Glen Feinberg, Richard Mermelstein, Alison O'Dwyer, and Dena Operman – all formerly with Wilson Elser.

Greenberg Traurig has gained two data privacy and security attorneys from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner. Jena Valdetero joins in Chicago and David Zetoony in Denver. The pair will serve as co-heads of the firm's U.S. data, privacy and cybersecurity practice.

Tim FitzSimons has joined King & Spalding as a partner in the firm's corporate, finance and investments practice group. FitzSimons, who has advised companies on public and private transactions, joins in Chicago from Jones Day.

Latham & Watkins has recruited copyright litigator Allison Stillman from Mayer Brown. Stillman joins Latham as a partner in New York in its litigation and trial department and its connectivity, privacy and information practice.

Perkins Coie has hired Edward (Ted) Boling and Stacey Bosshardt to the firm's environment, energy and resources practice in its Washington, D.C. office. Boling joins from the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and Bosshardt joins from the Justice Department, where she served as an assistant chief in the environment and natural resources division.

Rimon has opened a new office in Bogota, Colombia with tax and private client attorney Rodrigo Castillo Cottin. He joins as a partner from Baker McKenzie.

Stinson has brought on Bryan Rose as a transportation partner in Denver. Rose, who joins from Frost Brown Todd, has represented original equipment manufacturers, component manufacturers, airlines, fixed base operators, pilots and mechanics.

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan recently added Lorie Lazarus and Peter Ballance as partners to expand its real estate offerings in Los Angeles. Both partners join from Katten Muchin Rosenman, where Lazarus co-chaired the firm's West Coast Real Estate practice. Lazarus represents institutional equity investors, developers and commercial real estate lenders, while Ballance counsels lenders, borrowers, developers and property owners.

Squire Patton Boggs has expanded its international disputes resolution practice with partner Michelle Glassman Bock, who will split her time between the firm's offices in Washington, D.C. and Brussels. She joins from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr.

Venable has hired Jeff Joyner as a partner in Los Angeles. Joyner, who has experience in transactions, litigation, government affairs and consulting, joins from Greenberg Traurig.

Watson Farley & Williams has announced that banking and finance specialist Matt Lorimer has re-joined the firm in Hanoi as a partner after two years as a senior associate with Allen & Overy in Singapore. Matt was previously a Senior Associate in WFW's Hong Kong Office for two years.