Bar Traineeship 2025

The role

Explore the intersection between law and business. Find out how an international law firm makes an impact in Belgium and across the world. Develop the foundation of skills you need for a global legal career. You’ll do all this and more during your bar traineeship in our our offices in Belgium (Brussels and Antwerp working hub).  

Your time with us:  

As a lawyer trainee, you’ll embark on a global career that transcends traditional boundaries. You’ll contribute to a firm that embraces new ideas and fosters progress. With a focus on shaping the future of law, you will engage in work that is as diverse as the world we live in.  

The bar traineeship is designed for those who possess a global mindset and appreciate the nuances of local contexts. Here, you will engage in the most stimulating work, immerse yourself in diverse cultures, and navigate the complexities of our interconnected world. 

On the bar traineeship, you will:  

• Be at the forefront of legal innovation, working on high-profile, cross-border projects that will shape the future of law and business. You’ll see how we think across borders to find creative solutions for our clients. 
• Emerge from the programme not just as a lawyer, but as a global business advisor equipped to tackle the challenges of an ever-evolving world. 
• Join a forward-looking, friendly team while collaborating with colleagues across the world to drive results you’re proud of. 
• Develop your knowledge and skills through structured learning and development opportunities and our supportive culture. 
• Be supported by a strong network of supervisors, buddies, and mentors to develop your confidence and identify your own personal and professional goals. 
• Have dedicated support to ensure your journey on the programme reflects your career aspirations.  
• Be part of an international early careers community full of talented colleagues who’ll become part of your global network. 
• Have opportunities to engage with initiatives beyond your role, including legal tech, sustainability and pro bono work. 
• Enjoy a working environment where your wellbeing is always a priority, and where your workload will be managed to ensure 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 your journey to building a different kind of legal career.  

Eligibility: 

You’ll need to be a strong English speaker, reader, and writer. Also: 

• You’ll be fluent in either Dutch or French. 
• You’ve obtained or will obtain a Master of law at a Belgian university. 
• If you’re applying for EU competition law, global trade or government affairs, you’ll be a Master of law graduate at any university within the EU or/and you’ll have obtained an LLM from a UK or US university (a Belgian degree is not mandatory). 
• You’ll have a consistently strong academic record. 
• You’ll have the right to work in Belgium. 
• Only one application can be made per year. This means that you’ll need to select your preferred office location and practice group programme before applying. We welcome applications from candidates who have been unsuccessful in previous years.  

What we look for: 

In addition to the eligibility criteria, we’re looking for individuals 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: 

• 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. You’ll see setbacks as learning opportunities, and you’ll proactively look for ways to grow and develop.  
• Enjoy working in an ever-changing environment. 
• Enjoy taking ownership of tasks and thinking critically.  

About us

DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers and business service professionals located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our global reach ensures that we can help businesses with their legal needs anywhere in the world. We strive to be the leading global business law firm by delivering quality, service excellence and value to our clients and offering practical and innovative legal solutions to help them succeed. Our clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies, as well as government and public sector bodies. 

Our Values

In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by these values:

• Be Supportive – we are compassionate and inclusive, valuing diversity and acting thoughtfully
• Be Collaborative – we are proactive, passionate team players investing in our relationships
• Be Bold – we are fearless and inquisitive, challenging ourselves to think big and find creative new solutions
• Be Exceptional – we are strategic and driven, exceeding standards and expectations

Diversity and Inclusion

At DLA Piper, diversity and inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do. We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our global firm, where everyone can bring their authentic self to work. 

Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the leading global law firm; that’s why we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify. 

We support anyone with a disability or long-term health condition to ensure they can perform at their best. If you have not done so already, please let us know if you require any support so we can make the right adjustments and considerations should they be required. 

Hybrid Working

We recognise that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That’s why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

Pre -Engagement Screening

In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits and where relevant, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability and work-related references.