Summer

Join a law firm that spans continents and cultures. With over 90 offices in more than 40 countries, we’re one global team. Collaborate with colleagues and clients worldwide on high-value, complex work that shapes industries, markets and communities.

We have a high-performance mindset. Our people are recognised as leaders in their fields and known for their commercial insight. You’ll be expected to show initiative, ask questions, and push yourself to grow.

Here, you’ll learn by doing, taking on responsibility early and discovering what high performance looks like in practice. On our summer internship, you’ll be trusted to contribute and supported in finding your strengths.

At DLA Piper, your career is defined by the challenges you take on, the people you learn from and the impact you choose to make.

Shape your future. Discover your path. Unlock your potential.

Your time with us

During the two to three week, in-person, paid internship, you could attend court hearings, work directly with clients, collaborate with leading professionals and gain hands-on experience of life at a global law firm.

You'll see the impact we make in the UK and around the world while exploring the intersection of law, business and technology. You'll start building the foundations of a career in commercial law, gaining hands-on experience alongside colleagues and clients on high-value matters.

This internship goes beyond shadowing. You'll be part of the team, trusted to contribute meaningfully to client work.

Discover how DLA Piper combines legal know how, business insight and innovation to deliver exceptional client outcomes. You’ll develop the skills, behaviours and mindset needed to thrive as a commercial lawyer, while building relationships with partners, lawyers and trainees who will guide your growth and development.

During the internship, you will:

• Start your journey with an interactive induction in London, connecting with fellow interns from across the programme and building your network from day one

• Immerse yourself in complex work, contribute to real client matters, and gain insight into how our practice and sector groups help clients navigate change

• Accelerate your development through structured learning opportunities that will strengthen your professional skills

• Benefit from a network of supervisors, buddies and mentors who will encourage and challenge you and help you make the most of your experience

• Broaden your perspective by exploring areas such as legal technology, sustainability, and responsible business, highlighting the various ways you can make an impact at DLA Piper

Seeing possibilities is just the start. Acting on them is what matters.

Eligibility

To apply you must be:

• Law students: in the penultimate or final year of an accredited Scots Law LLB, or be a law graduate

• Non-law students: have already graduated and be undertaking the accelerated Scots Law LLB route

• On completion of your LLB, you must be eligible to commence the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (DPLP)

You should also:

• Have achieved AAAAB at Scottish Higher or AAB at A-Level (or equivalent)

• Be on track to achieve, or have already achieved, a 2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent)

• Have the right to work full time for the duration of the programme in your chosen location. DLA Piper is unable to sponsor visas for the Summer Internship programme

• Submit only one application per year for one Summer Internship programme

We recognise that individual circumstances vary and will consider mitigating circumstances on a case-by-case basis.

What we look for

We’re looking for individuals from a wide range of backgrounds who have the potential to thrive in a career in law.

To succeed on our early careers programmes, you don’t need any specific legal experience or education, but you will:

• Have a genuine interest in global business and commercial law, with an enthusiasm for learning and exploring different practice areas

• Bring fresh perspectives and are excited by the opportunity to challenge convention and embrace new ways of working

• Are proactive, self-motivated and driven to achieve your personal and professional goals

• Enjoy working collaboratively, build strong relationships, and value diverse perspectives and experiences

• Demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning and development, using feedback and challenges as opportunities to improve

• Approach problems thoughtfully, considering evidence and different viewpoints before reaching well-reasoned conclusions

• Take ownership of your work and demonstrate a commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes

About us

We're a global law firm helping our clients achieve their goals wherever they do business. With offices in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, we deliver exceptional outcomes on cross-border projects, critical transactions, and high-stakes disputes.

For our people, that means a world of opportunity. At DLA Piper, you’ll find the most interesting work, experience the riches of other cultures, and enjoy the complexity of an interconnected world.

On our Early Careers programmes, you’ll develop the knowledge and skills to give your career the best platform.

Inclusion at our firm is not a one-size-fits-all concept. We embrace and celebrate the range of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences that each person brings to our firm, so that everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

Shape your future. Discover your path. Unlock your potential.

Before starting your application, you'll be taken to our anonymous Realistic Job Preview to explore the role, learn about our ways of working and receive personalised feedback.

Job Reference

8355

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Function

Early Careers

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Category

Early Careers

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Location

Edinburgh, United Kingdom