EARLY CAREERS in the United Kingdom

Law, unlocked

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Discover the difference

Are you curious about life at DLA Piper? Discover how we’re making an extraordinary impact beyond the borders of traditional law by attending this event.

This event is designed for first-year law students and second-year non-law students who want to explore what makes DLA Piper a different kind of law firm. Give your career the best platform and start shaping your future with us.

Take the first step towards a world of opportunity and learn what it takes to succeed as a commercial lawyer in a fast-paced, global environment.

Applications for our Law, Unlocked events will open in January 2026. Register your interest now using the link at the top of the page and we will be in touch with details of how to apply. 

Discover the difference

What you will do

  • Discover innovation at work by learning how we’re using AI and legal technology to redefine the way a global law firm operates
  • See how we're more focused on shaping the future than protecting the past by exploring our practice groups and approach to responsible business and sustainability
  • Meet the people behind the impact – our trusted advisors, innovators, and game-changers who challenge the status quo every day.
  • Build your knowledge, skills and confidence through sessions designed to help you determine if a career in law is right for you.
  • Navigate your path to success by gaining early insights into our early career programmes.
What you will do
Transcript

Molly Stevenson, Early Careers Talent Acquisition Specialist, UK: Here we are, ready for the 2025 summer internship. Let's go.

Heidi Drinnan, Trainee Solicitor, Manchester: One of the biggest things to remember as an intern is that you've already got to this stage. It's such a huge achievement!

Ashleigh Alli, Pro Bono Manager: To make the most of the internship, just really go for it. Put yourself out there.

Rob Newman, Partner, Corporate, Birmingham: You really need to be open. Use this opportunity to start building that network.

Helen O’Connor, International Director of Knowledge and Insight: Everyone is excited to come into work and do things in a new, better way.

Ashleigh Alli: We're innovative. We're kind of forward looking, proactive, all of those things.

Helen O’Connor: Even if it's only a little bit every day.

Ashleigh Alli: But we also have something in common as well. So 100% - it's the people.

Ruth Hoy, Office Managing Partner, London: One thing about DLA is it's always moving. It's always reinventing itself. It's very good at looking at where it is now and where it wants to go to.

Jon Hayes, Global Co-Chair and Senior Partner: We want to recruit and employ people who know how to lead, work in a team, have an impact, make a difference.

Yunus Maka, Partner, Corporate, Manchester: So whether you enjoy doing sports law, media law, IT law, AI, there's a job for you somewhere.

Simi Oluborode, 2025 Summer Intern, Dublin: Everyone has been lovely. The speakers have all been amazing.

Aya Mohamed, 2025 Summer Intern, London: It's lovely having people come from all over the UK.

Matthew Mitham, 2025 Summer Intern, London: This is obviously a massive, massive firm across the world with loads of cross-border opportunities.

Leah Randell, 2025 Summer Intern, Birmingham: I've met so many lovely people. Everyone who's so passionate about going into law.

Rudrakshi Goswami, 2025 Summer Intern, Manchester: And this sort of blend between excellence and humility is what really attracted me towards DLA Piper.

Nathan Douglas-Smith, 2025 Summer Intern, London: Hearing from the partners, hearing from quite senior people how inclusive the culture is.

Sarah Coffey, 2025 Summer Intern, Edinburgh: I'm very excited to get to the home offices and do a bit more hands-on work next week.

Ashleigh Alli: One word?

Heidi Drinnan: Opportunity.

Helen O’Connor: Merit.

Aya Mohamed: Transformative.

Nathan Douglas-Smith: Inspirational.

Simi Oluborode: Exceptional.

Sarah Coffey: Insightful.

Rudrakshi Goswami: Fun.

Matthew Mitham: Exciting.

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

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

Excitement for international law and business

You are curious about global legal developments, regulatory shifts and geopolitical trends.

Strong collaborator with social awareness

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

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

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

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 can apply if you're a first-year student on a three-year course or a second-year student on a four-year course.

We welcome applications from eligible students interested in opportunities across our UK offices – Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds, London, Manchester and Sheffield. Please apply to the event located closest to you.

You can apply if you're in your second year of study. This opportunity is open to students from any degree background studying at a UK university. 

We welcome applications from eligible students interested in opportunities across our UK offices – Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds, London, Manchester and Sheffield. Please apply to the event located closest to you.

Key dates

  • Applications open: 27 January 2025
  • Applications close: 14 March 2025. Please note: We are no longer accepting applications for this programme. 
  • Programme dates: 7 April 2025 (London) and 08 April 2025 (Leeds)
Key dates

Our International Training Programme

Watch our International Training Programme induction week 2024, where we welcomed over 75 trainee solicitors from the UK, Ireland, Dubai, and Hong Kong for hour days of interactive workshops, networking, social events and talks from our senior business leaders. Following these 4 days, our trainees joined their chosen office location to begin their 2 year training contract.

Our International Training Programme Transcript

Liam Cowell, Partner: Welcome. Fantastic. You've done brilliant to get to this stage. At some point, make sure you do stop and recognise just how well you've done. This is a massive day in your lives. A massive start to what I'm hoping will be fantastic careers.

Irene Adeyinka, Senior Diversity and Inclusion Specialist: So who is in your team? What is everyone's learning style? What's the understanding? And then, more importantly, who are the clients and what are their needs? How does that work as well?

Elainne Dunne, Trainee Solicitor: My experience at DLA Piper has enabled me to feel confident reassuring others that they too will have a wonderful experience during their training contract.

Paul Jayson, Partner: Treat the training contract and the opportunity as if you are exploring a new country. Make the most of it. Be inquisitive. Be curious.

Emma Thea Jones, Solicitor Apprentice: I think it's really valuable having them both join the same induction, because ultimately they do the same work. So being exposed to the same sessions gives them the same grounding, which is really helpful.

Jon Hayes, Global Co-Chair and Senior Partner: And on behalf of all of the partners at DLA Piper, a really very warm welcome to this event. To this stage of your career, to this great global law firm.

Rahul Ramanathan, Trainee Solicitor: Everyone in DLA is so welcoming. So I felt like, going in, I could always turn to associates, partners, anyone for support. To ask questions and to be eager is the biggest thing I'll take away from this.

Alla Kazoun, Trainee Solicitor: They gave us certain tips and tricks that will help us hit the ground running once we've entered each of our offices. And the good thing is that those tips and tricks are universal to all offices across the globe, whether it be London, Manchester, Birmingham, Hong Kong, Dubai, all those pieces of advice are applicable.

Edward Selwyn Sharpe, Trainee Solicitor: I feel that the induction week is really good at preparing us for our future, and giving us an ability to understand where everyone's potential lies and where our own potential lies. I think it's a really exciting firm to be in, and it's great to see everyone's potential and where that might lead us in the future.

Application hints and tips

Hear from our early careers team and discover how to succeed in your application.

Application hints and tips Transcript

Molly: Hi, I am Molly. I work in the Early Careers team here at DLA Piper.

Kathleen: I'm Kathleen. I work in the Early Careers Talent Acquisition team here at DLA Piper.

Molly: When you're submitting an application form, the number one thing is to make sure you proofread your application before you submit it.

You’ve spent so long on it and it's really frustrating to submit it and realize that you've spelt something wrong.

It's really important for us to make sure that the lawyers we recruit have really great attention to detail.

Kathleen: A big thing would be – do your research to really understand why you're applying to DLA Piper.

Molly: Know the firm. Know what we're about.

Kathleen: We obviously know that you want to work in the legal industry, but what specifically stands out about us as a firm.

Molly: Once you've spent some time doing that, I'd recommend getting your application submitted. Get a draft up and really take time to work through that.

Kathleen: So if you do attend one of our assessment centres, my top tips would be to really try and be yourself.

Molly: The most important thing to do at an assessment centre is to be yourself.

Kathleen: Don't try and answer questions the way that you think the interviewer wants to hear them. They're really looking for that authentic person and who you are.

Molly: We'll be out on campus, attending lots of events, working with lots of different societies across universities, up and down the country, and across the world.

So come and meet us. That's the best opportunity for you to find out about who we are and to really reinforce the reasons why you want to work with us.

Kathleen: We also have an Instagram page. That's DLA Piper Careers.

Molly: You can find out all about where we are on campus, the opportunities, applications, openings, closing, and lots of other exciting content.

 

Give your career the best platform

Do you want to unlock an exciting future and realise your potential? Learn more about life at DLA Piper and the opportunities on our early careers programmes.

Give your career the best platform Transcript

Trainee: The main thing I've learnt from my experiences at DLA Piper is how interconnected our world really is.

Our world is growing and so globalized now. It only made sense for me to start my career somewhere that is global at heart.

Trainee: It is a global law firm. So at the junior level that means you can do international secondments to work for six months in another country, which sounds ideal to me.

Trainee: What really drew me to DLA Piper was the firm's One UK Policy, which is the policy that work is shared collaboratively across all of the UK offices.

Even though I'm based in a regional office, I still have access to opportunities to work on really high-profile, really exciting matters and projects, even from a regional base.

Trainee: Obviously, coming into a job like this there's a huge amount of imposter syndrome that can come with it.

But I think with how supported you are at DLA Piper, that can help overcome that.

They're there to give you those little pushes which you might feel too scared to take on your own.

Trainee: There are so many opportunities to just put your hand up and ask to get involved in things. So whether that's saying, oh, Could I write an article for website? Could I get involved in this pro bono work?

Trainee: I wasn't a law student, I say with some pride. I did history.

Trainee: There's no one route into law and you don't have to fit a certain mold to become a lawyer.

I, for example, did a philosophy degree. I found that in applications and interviews I had so much to talk about because those were things that I was genuinely interested in.

Trainee: So I did politics, philosophy and economics at university. Initially, I was also a bit hesitant about choosing this career because it's quite different to the kind of things I did in my undergraduate degree.

Trainee: And a firm like DLA Piper especially really values broad perspectives and different backgrounds.

Trainee: The skills you have learned from your undergraduate degree are so transferrable to what we do as a firm, and what the industry does in general.

Trainee: They're really good at developing the softer skills which contribute to a good career. I've learned a lot about the sort of lawyer I want to be.

Trainee: DLA Piper has a really friendly, inclusive culture. That's something that's been really evident as a trainee. Even really senior partners will come over to you, will have a chat with you and that makes such a difference.

Trainee: Another thing that stood out to me about DLA Piper was their commitment to pro bono.

Trainee: The pro bono and sustainability work throughout the firm is etched from the very top to the very bottom.

And things like economic development, ensuring a just and equitable climate transition – these things run throughout the firm.

Trainee: I really got the sense that it wasn't just lip service, that they actually meant what they said, and it was very value driven.

Trainee: And it's specific initiatives.

Trainee: So the Manchester office is partnered with a nonprofit organization called Hope for Justice, which supports victims of human trafficking and modern slavery.

Trainee: When I was a trainee, I got really, really involved with Project Ukraine. We basically went out to try to give legal information to people trying to come to the UK.

There was no way that you could do any work like that anywhere else. And I loved it! And I ended up doing 300 cases or so.

Trainee: I've worked on the Carbon Tax Model Rule for the Commonwealth, assisting, drafting policy guidance for them. Even though, you know, it’s completely aside from my area of practice.

It's something that I got involved with because it's something the firm was doing that I'm interested in. And I felt like if I could add value.

Trainee: You go and you feel as though you're helping people in quite a direct way.

Trainee: It's law, which involves human beings, rather than abstract principles.

Trainee: And I don't think there are many other careers that can offer that. And there are not many other firms that can offer that either.

Programme overview

Watch our Summer Internship Induction week 2024, where we welcomed over 100 Summer Interns from the UK and Ireland for four days of interactive workshops, networking, social events and talks from our senior business leaders. Following these three days, our interns returned to complete two weeks of work experience in their chosen office location, across two different practice groups.

Early Careers Talent Community

Sign up to our talent community to receive information about our upcoming events and programmes.

Early Careers Talent Community

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.

Accessibility
    Recruitment roadmap

    What to expect

    • Application form

      Our application form will capture some key information regarding yourself and your studies. 

    • Motivational question

      We will also ask you to submit an answer to an application question regarding your motivations to apply to our Law, unlocked insight event.  

    What to expect
    Hannah Potter, Associate, London

    I've worked with a range of colleagues across the firm's practice groups and business services teams and everyone is approachable and friendly. What stands out to me is that that people love their work and also have a life outside of work, creating an enjoyable workplace for everyone.

    Hannah Potter
    Tebogo Mphahlele, Trainee Solicitor, London

    My experiences at DLA Piper have been characterised by involvement in high-calibre transactions, substantial responsibility, access to top-tier work, and the opportunity to take ownership of important matters.

    Tebogo Mphahlele
    Alex Moffett, Associate, Leeds

    The culture at DLA Piper is genuinely supportive and collaborative. I've loved having the opportunity to regularly work with a range of colleagues locally and internationally.

    Alex Moffett
    Sara Jenkins, Associate, Leeds/Manchester

    Life at a leading international law firm means a vast range of work, clients and opportunities. It's been a great journey so far.

    Sara Jenkins
    James Watson, Associate, Birmingham

    The firm invests a lot of time and resources into developing their junior talent. The Early Careers team in particular regularly organise check-ins with trainees and have hosted sessions on important topics such as resilience, mental and physical wellbeing, overcoming imposter syndrome and much more.

    James Watson
      FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

      Your questions,
      answered

      Our Law, unlocked events are designed to give you a look into what a career at DLA Piper is really like. 

      The event will provide a great introduction to the legal sector and how we’re using AI and legal technology to redefine the way a global law firm operates.

      Our Law, unlocked events are open to students from any degree background studying at a UK university. 

      If you are studying a law degree, you can apply if you're a first-year student on a three-year course or a second-year student on a four-year course. If you are studying a non-law degree, you can apply if you're in your second year of study.

      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, with an interest in innovation and AI.

      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. Please apply to the event located closest to you. 

      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 for any further applications. We therefore recommend you apply early for any role you're interested in. 

      If you have any mitigating circumstances that you'd like to be taken into consideration alongside your application, there will be a chance to highlight this during your application to our Law, unlocked event. A member of the early careers team will be in touch to dicuss further.

      If you are successful in gaining a place on one of our Law, unlocked events, the early careers team will be in touch prior to the day to check for any reasonable adjustments you might require to attend. 

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