EARLY CAREERS

Internship

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About this programme

Our six month, in-person paid internship will show you what we do, how we work and the impact we make in Italy and around the world. Our programme will support your registration for the mandatory traineeship to qualify for the Italian bar exam (pratica forense) or for the chartered accountant exam.

At the end of the internship, you'll have the opportunity to be assessed for a trainee position with us.

Programme details

Explore the intersection between law and business. Develop the foundation of skills you need for a global legal career. You’ll do all this, and more, on our six month internship in our Rome and Milan offices.

This isn’t just a chance to shadow our lawyers. You’ll play a real role in our teams and take on responsibility from day one. Whether attending court hearings, working with clients or developing your professional network, you’ll experience the cutting edge of the legal sector. You'll discover how law can unlock potential around the world and in your own career. That includes seeing how a purpose-led organisation makes a difference through pro bono work and sustainability commitments.

The internship is your chance to see if law is a career you can thrive in. Working across our practice groups and sectors, you’ll be giving your career the best platform by developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours that will support your professional growth.

We’ll ask you to choose your preferred practice groups when you apply and will try to assign you to one of these for the programme.

During the internship, you will:

  • experience the complexities of our work and discover how you can make a real impact around the world. You’ll see how we think across borders to find creative solutions for our clients;
  • join a forward-looking, friendly team while collaborating with colleagues around the world;
  • develop your knowledge and skills through structured learning and development opportunities;
  • be supported by a strong network of supervisors, buddies, and mentors to develop your confidence and identify your own personal and professional goals;
  • be part of an international early careers community full of talented colleagues who’ll become part of your global network;
  • have opportunities to explore interests beyond your role, including legal tech, sustainability and pro bono work, to give you an authentic insight into life at DLA Piper; and
  • enjoy a supportive working environment where your wellbeing is always a priority and your workload is managed so you can always deliver your best.

You’ll have the freedom to discover your own path and make an extraordinary impact beyond the borders of traditional law. Tomorrow’s legal industry can’t hire yesterday’s skills. Unlock your potential and start building a different kind of legal career.

Show us your strengths in action. Once you've completed your internship, you could be offered a trainee position.

What do we look for?

We’re looking for people from a diverse range of backgrounds who have the potential to thrive at our firm.

To succeed on our early careers programmes, you don’t need any specific legal experience or education, but you will, in addition to the eligibility criteria:

  • have an interest in international law and business;
  • have a forward-thinking and entrepreneurial mindset and will be excited about doing things differently in the legal industry;
  • be self-motivated by a strong desire to achieve your personal and professional goals;
  • enjoy collaborating with others and will be instinctively socially aware;
  • have a growth mindset so you see setbacks as learning opportunities, and you’ll proactively look for ways to grow and develop;
  • enjoy working in an ever-changing environment; and
  • enjoy taking ownership of tasks and thinking critically.

Programme overview

Watch our 2022/23 Internship video, where we welcomed over 70 interns to the firm in our Milan and Rome offices. During the internship, our interns worked with our clients and developed the knowledge and skills required to be a successful lawyer. 

DLA Piper attends Career Days in Italy

We recently participated in #CareerDays at Bocconi University in Milan and Sapienza University in Rome. We enjoyed meeting with Law and Economics students and recent graduates to showcase our firm, our values and to introduce our Internship Programme and career opportunities in Italy. 

DLA Piper attends Career Days in Italy

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 Italy HR 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.

Accessibility
    Recruitment roadmap

    What to expect

    • Application form

      Our application form will capture some key information about yourself. We will also ask you to submit a CV and provide your academic transcripts. After submitting your application form, you will be invited to complete a series of online tests that explore your language capabilities, reasoning and analytical skills. 

    • Assessments

      • English online assessment (via e-mail)
      • English oral assessment (approximately 10 minutes conversation by phone)
      • Written assessment (in English or Italian)
    • Interviews

      • 1st stage interview with a Recruitment Specialist
      • 2nd stage interview with a Lawyer
    • Offer

    What to expect
    Ornella Belfiori, Lawyer, Rome

    I have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge and transnational matters, often as a member of multijurisdictional teams. Resources have plenty of opportunities to learn from the partners they work with, from senior associates and other junior colleagues.

    Ornella Belfiori
    Fabio Lenzini, Legal Director, Rome

    Joining the firm represented a real opportunity for me to forge a satisfying career.

    Fabio Lenzini
      FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

      Your questions,
      answered

      Yes, if you have the university requirements to access the mandatory pratica forense or pratica anticipata. We encourage you to contact your university prior to applying to check the necessary requirements.

      At the end of the internship, you will have the opportunity to be assessed, based on your performance, and our availability, for a position as a Trainee with us. 

      Please contact Mariana Dardengo (Senior Recruitment Business Partner, Italy) or Benedetta Mayer (Recruitment Specialist, Italy).

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