Explore the intersection between law and business. Find out how an international law firm makes an impact in the United Kingdom 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 3.5 weeks internship in our Birmingham office.
Your time with us
This isn’t just a chance to shadow our lawyers. You’ll play a real role in our teams and take on real 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 and how law can unlock potential across the world and in your own career. That includes seeing how a purpose-led organisation makes a difference through our pro bono work and sustainability commitments.
The internship is your chance to see if law is a career you can thrive in. You’ll be giving your career the best platform by developing your personal and professional skills that will be valued in any sector you choose to continue into.
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 across the world.
- 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.
- 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 your workload will be managed to ensure you can always deliver your best.
Eligibility
- If you are 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 in your final year of study.
- If you are studying a non-law degree: you can apply for the programme if you are in your final year of study.
- You can apply if you have already graduated or are a career changer.
- You must meet the entry requirements via the University of Law website
- You must have the right to work for the duration of the programme (37.5 hours a week) in the location which you have chosen. DLA Piper is unable to sponsor visas for the Summer Internship.
- You are only able to apply once per year for one of our Summer Internships.
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.
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.
Come and show us your strengths in action, and following your time with us you may be offered a position on our international training programme.
Unlock your potential and start your journey to building a different kind of legal career.