DLA Piper LLP - True Picture

Firm profile

Opportunity, unlocked 

With over 90 offices in more than 40 countries, we offer global careers without limits. At DLA Piper, you’ll find the most interesting work, experience the riches of other cultures, and enjoy the complexity of an interconnected world.

We’re a different kind of law firm. We’re a firm where you’ll focus more on shaping the future than protecting the past. You’ll work in forward-looking teams to find creative solutions for clients.

On our Early Careers programmes, you’ll develop the knowledge and skills to give your career the best platform. You’ll have the opportunities to discover your own path and the support to help you along the way.

At DLA Piper, you’ll define the impact you make. Unlock your potential. Come and shape the future of law.

Main areas of work
Corporate: DLA Piper's corporate lawyers support the world’s leading enterprises, emerging startup companies and financial institutions in their development and investment activities. From mergers and acquisitions and venture capital to private and public equity and debt offerings, the firm assists clients through all stages of their transactions to ensure successful deal outcomes.

Employment: DLA Piper's employment practice advises clients worldwide on employment legislation, helping them meet their workforce objectives.

The firm partners with its clients, wherever they do business, to find solutions and manage risk in relation to their employment, incentives and pensions legal challenges and objectives. The firm assists with acquisitions, outsourcings, expansions or reductions-in-force, local or international employee relations, data privacy or data protection, local, cross-border or collective litigation, local or multi-jurisdictional compliance, risk management. Its clients range from startups to emerging multinationals and some of the biggest and best-known global brands in the world.

Finance & Projects: DLA Piper advises on all aspects of financing, across borders, sectors and financial products. With one of the largest teams of dedicated finance lawyers in the world and an established local law firm network, the firm helps its clients to realise their financial strategies in whichever markets they do business.

The firm's clients include the full range of market participants, whom it often supports on first-of-a-kind deals and in new markets. The firm shares knowledge and skills in deals involving, for example, lending and borrowing, debt securities, derivatives, funds, portfolios and FinTech solutions, as well as energy, infrastructure and other projects.

Intellectual Property & Technology: DLA Piper is one of the most widely recognised providers of a full range of commercial, intellectual property law, privacy, sourcing and technology law services for leading businesses worldwide. Its lawyers provide both litigation-related (contentious) and strategic commercial advice to a wide range of industry sectors, helping clients from emerging technology and pharmaceutical companies to established banks and financial institutions achieve their objectives wherever they do business.

Litigation & Regulatory: DLA Piper's lawyers are skilled in litigation, arbitration, investigations and ADR and will deploy that experience to help devise the best strategies. The firm has the local knowledge to apply the regulatory, economic, political and cultural context to legal issues and develop case strategies. It regularly handles technically challenging and complex multi-jurisdictional matters.

DLA Piper's International Trade, Regulatory and Government Affairs team provides advice at all stages of the regulatory process. Advising on regulatory law, the firm focuses on areas such as international trade, antitrust and competition, global governance and more.

Real Estate: DLA Piper's market-leading real estate group offers a full range of real estate services, including single asset and portfolio acquisitions and dispositions, single asset and multi-property/programmatic joint ventures, fund formation, operating company investments, cross-border investments, REITs, financing, construction and design, leasing, zoning/land-use, environmental law, real estate litigation and tax.

Restructuring: DLA Piper's restructuring lawyers have significant experience advising clients on investigation, enforcement, litigation and asset recovery on a multijurisdictional basis. The firm advises clients on all matters relating to public and private companies in underperforming and distressed situations. It manages assignments from the mid-market to the largest national and international restructurings and insolvencies. With the firm's experience also extending to any contentious issues arising from restructurings and insolvencies. It serves a diverse client base that includes debtors, lenders, government entities, trustees, shareholders, senior executives, as well as distressed debt and asset buyers and investors.

Tax: DLA Piper provides advice on local and national tax, and a commercially integrated approach to cross-border structures and tax efficiency. It offers the full range of tax services that address the challenges of international commerce and business operations, including arranging operations to reduce effective global tax rates, transfer pricing, tax disputes and post-acquisition integration.

Training opportunities
Our International Training Programme seeks to create a culture of learning and development from the time you accept an offer with us. Before starting with us you will be sponsored to attend a Masters level preparatory course which includes the SQE1 and SQE2 examinations which are required to qualify as a solicitor. For non-law degree joiners, a law conversion course will be sponsored before you attend the SQE preparatory course.

Across the two-year programme, you will undertake four, six-month rotations within our practice groups, giving you breadth in your knowledge of the law as well as the practical skills that will stay with you for your entire career. You may also get an opportunity to complete client secondments or international secondments as one of your rotations.

By the end of your International Training Programme, you will emerge with a clearer understanding of where your talent and interests lie, which will guide your decision in applying for our newly qualified solicitor roles at the firm. The experience you’ll have gained - and the networks you’ll have nurtured - will provide a strong foundation for your future career at DLA Piper.

Tax: DLA Piper provides advice on local and national tax, and a commercially integrated approach to cross-border structures and tax efficiency. It offers the full range of tax services that address the challenges of international commerce and business operations, including arranging operations to reduce effective global tax rates, transfer pricing, tax disputes and post-acquisition integration.

Summer internship
Our Summer Internship is designed to give students a real insight into DLA Piper. The programme runs across our Edinburgh, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, London, Dublin, Hong Kong and Dubai office.

Gain first-hand experience of working at DLA Piper with our in-person Summer Internship. Our paid programme starts with an induction event held in the London office for UK and Dublin interns, the Hong Kong Office for Hong Kong interns, and the Dubai office for Dubai interns. After this, you will spend time working in your chosen office location. This is the gateway to our International Training Programme and will provide you with opportunities to explore your interests and make informed career choices.

Other benefits
Life insurance, private healthcare, cycle to work schemes, gym, restaurant, employee assistance programme.

Open days and first-year opportunities
DLA Piper Discovery Days

If you’re curious about life at DLA Piper, attending a Discovery Day is a great place to learn more. We're a world of opportunity, and the key to a global career.

At the event, you will:
• 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.
• Take part in educational sessions, curated to build your knowledge and skills and help you decide if a career in law is right for you.
• Find out about our early careers programmes and get practical guidance on how to succeed in our application process.

By joining a Discovery Day, you'll be taking a step towards shaping your career.

We look forward to welcoming you and exploring how we can unlock your potential, together.

Eligibility

•Studying a law degree: you can apply for the programme if you are a second year student on a three year course, a third year student on a four year course or a final year student.

• Studying a non-law degree: you can apply for the programme if you are a final year student.

•  Open to students from any degree background at universities across the UK.


Apply now!