EARLY CAREERS in Australia
Discover DLA Piper
Shape your career
If you’re curious about life at DLA Piper, attending a discovery day is a great place to start. We're a world of opportunity, and the key to a global career.
Our immersive events offer a valuable introduction to the legal sector and our practice groups and sectors, while helping you build confidence, professional skills and workplace readiness.
We look forward to welcoming you and exploring how we can unlock your potential, together.
Register to attend
- National online session for our Australian offices 17 June 6:00 - 7:oopm AEDT - Register here
What you will do
- Learn about DLA Piper and discover how we're redefining what a global law firm can be
- See how we're focused more on shaping the future than protecting the past, as you learn about our practice groups and sectors and our approach to legal tech, responsible business and sustainability
- Experience what it's like to work at the firm by meeting our people – the trusted advisors, innovators and game-changers who go above and beyond the challenge the status quo
- Network with colleagues from each of our practice groups, helping you decide if a career in law is right for you
Who we’re looking for
We’re looking for people from a diverse range of backgrounds who have the potential to thrive at our firm.
Self-motivated and highly driven
You are proactive and strive for excellence. You pursue goals with purpose and determination, whether working independently or as part of a team.
Excitement for international law and business
You are curious about global legal developments, regulatory shifts and geopolitical trends.
Strong collaborator with social awareness
You are an excellent communicator, active listener and team player who contributes to an inclusive, supportive work environment.
Entrepreneurial mindset and willingness to challenge the norm
You think creatively, embrace new ideas and challenge conventional approaches. You thrive in challenging environments and aim to excel.
Ability to think critically, adapt and take ownership
You have an ability to assess situations from multiple perspectives, adapt quickly to change and take responsibility for delivering exceptional results.
Growth mindset, seeing setbacks as opportunities
You are resilient, reflective, and always eager to learn, leveraging setbacks as an opportunity to sharpen your thinking.
Are you eligible?
You need to be a current law student in your penultimate or final year of undergraduate study at an Australian university.
Please apply to the office where you would want to undertake your clerkship.
Accessibility
At DLA Piper, we are committed to making reasonable adjustments and removing disability-related barriers. This is so everyone, irrespective of a visible or non-visible disability, neurodivergence, a long-term health condition or injury, has an equitable opportunity to succeed in our recruitment process.
If you think you may need adjustments or additional support to enable you to participate in our recruitment process, please get in touch with our Early Careers team and we will be happy to support you.
We understand that sharing your needs with us may feel daunting. We will have an open discussion with you about what will work best for you in the recruitment process, and you only need to share what you feel comfortable with. Our team will ensure that the information you provide will be treated confidentially. The information will only be shared with others involved in the process, on your approval, and where necessary.
We will use the information you share to put adjustments in place for you at any stage, or at multiple stages, of the recruitment process. This is to enable you to perform to the best of your ability, and to have an equitable opportunity to perform and thrive.

Recruitment roadmap
What to expect
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Application form
Our application form will capture some key information regarding yourself and your studies.
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Motivational question
We will also ask you to submit an answer to an application question regarding your motivations to apply to DLA Piper and in particular our Discover DLA Piper event.
Alexis Brenssell, Solicitor, Perth
A highlight of my experience at DLA Piper is the relationships I have built with my class of graduates. There aren’t many days that we don’t eat lunch together, get morning coffees from the barista bar or play a game of table tennis!
Cassian Ho, Senior Associate, Sydney
No matter how excellent any individual is, success is achieved through working as a team. In my view, DLA Piper’s team culture is great, and there is a real emphasis on ensuring that we’re friends as well as colleagues.
Riley Arthur, Solicitor, Brisbane
My experience is that DLA Piper is full of wonderful people, and I have worked under great mentors throughout the graduate programme who value my career development just as much as I do.
Tom Keyser, Solicitor, Brisbane
You hear a lot about the international aspects of a firm like DLA Piper. It was not until I joined the firm that I appreciated how broad and active the international network was. In my first year working in Corporate, I was regularly in contact with clients and colleagues from all around the globe.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Your questions,
answered
Our events are designed to give you a look into what a career at DLA Piper is really like.
The days will provide a great introduction to the legal sector and our practice groups. They will also help build your confidence and your professional skills and workplace capability.
Our Discovery Days are open to both law and non-law students and we do not have academic entry requirements for this event.
You can apply if you're a current law student in your penultimate or final year of undergraduate study at an Australian university.
We are looking for individuals who can collaborate, be bold, supportive, and exceptional and are committed learning more and pursuing a career with DLA Piper.
We do not have minimum academic requirements at undergraduate level. If you do have any mitigating circumstances that you would like to be taken into consideration alongside your application, please contact us to discuss further.
Yes, all reasonable travel costs will be covered.
Yes, whilst you will discover the global reach of our work, the Discover DLA Piper event is a chance to find out more about the office, people etc. where you would want to undertake your clerkship.
No, we don't have a specific application deadline as we recruit on a rolling basis. This means once we have enough applications for a role, we will close the role for any further applications. We therefore recommend you apply early for any event you're interested in.
If you have any mitigating circumstances that you'd like to be taken into consideration alongside your application, please contact us to discuss further.
If you are successful in gaining a place on one of our Discover DLA Piper events, the graduate recruitment team will be in touch prior to the day to check for any reasonable adjustments you might require to attend.
STORIES HUB
Application advice, tips, and resources
How to make the most of your internship: Clare Hibbert’s advice for standing out
DLA Piper trainee Clare Hibbert reflects on her journey from university to practice, sharing practical advice on how to make the most out of your internship.
One firm, one global community: Martin Haller on building connections that go beyond work
From Munich to Melbourne, Partner Martin Haller reflects on how collaboration across offices and cultures creates a truly connected way of working.
Sustainability in action with Venessa Parekh
For Venesssa Parekh, Head of Sustainability in EMEA and APAC, sustainability means equipping people with the knowledge and skills to understand sustainability risks and opportunities to support our clients in an evolving landscape.
Step into the world of commercial law: UK insight events for students
At our Law, unlocked insight events in the UK, students stepped inside our offices to meet our people, explore life at DLA Piper and see how careers in commercial law can take shape.
High performance starts with a supportive team: In conversation with Aimee Harper
Aimee Harper, an Associate in Finance, reflects on how collaboration, collective experience and a supportive team drive high performance, personal growth and exceptional outcomes for clients.
The path to partnership: Manuel Indelkofer’s journey
Dr. Manuel Indelkofer reflects on his journey from junior associate to partner, sharing how his approach to leadership has evolved and what aspiring partners need to succeed.
Be bold enough to ask: Gigi Lockhart on shaping your career
Senior Associate, Gigi Lockhart shares how stepping beyond her role and taking on new challenges helped her shape her career and build relationships across DLA Piper’s international network.
The mindset that drives high performance, with Drew Moss
Drew Moss, Head of Talent, explores how mindset, feedback, resilience and wellbeing work together to drive sustainable high performance.
Be curious about what comes next, with Joanne Conway
From taking stretch assignments to embracing change, Joanne's path to Head of Inclusion & Culture for EMEA and APAC shows how progress happens when you’re willing to ask, learn and step up.
What makes DLA Piper different? A conversation with Peter Somekh
Peter Somekh, Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, shares how a culture of challenge and collaboration has shaped his career, and continues to push him to grow.
What a Solicitor Apprenticeship can offer: Alix Leatherday's career journey
Alix Leatherday chose the Solicitor Apprenticeship route, combining global exposure with practical training inside our Manchester office. From day one, she's earning her degree while working on high-profile matters that count.
A day in the life of a Solicitor Apprentice, with Sophie Kenny
To mark National Apprenticeship Week, Sophie gives us a glimpse into her role in the Leeds office. Now in her fifth year, she’s working with lawyers across the globe and gaining hands-on legal experience, all while earning her degree.
What does global mean at DLA Piper?
From London to Johannesburg, our people deliver work that crosses borders, industries, and expectations, because ambition without limits needs a global platform.
Discovery Days, unlocked
Our Discovery Days give you real insight into the work, the people, and the pace of DLA Piper.
From Summer Intern to Associate: Mihir’s journey
For Mihir Joshi, joining DLA Piper felt like a natural step – from Intern to Associate, he's seen the values stay consistent while the opportunities keep expanding.
A day in the life of a Summer Intern, with Ammar
As a Summer Intern, based in our Birmingham office, Ammar has been immersed in complex, high-impact work – building confidence, gaining clarity and discovering his potential in the process.
What makes DLA Piper different? Insights from Alyson Eather
Partner, Alyson Eather reflects on the global opportunities, varied experiences and supportive culture that have shaped her career.
Life at DLA Piper
Our culture empowers everyone to be themselves and reach their full potential. With the resources to seize opportunities, discover your path, and realise our potential together, see how we support you.
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