The Legal Cheek View
Sheffield born and bred, Northern Powerhouse DLA Piper swiftly established itself as a key player in the international law scene. Offering a full range of services, solicitor apprentices at DLA have a wide array of options to explore. The firm’s practices span across corporate and finance, intellectual property, tax, real estate, litigation, and more. For the year 2024, the firm is offering five solicitor apprenticeships based at its Barbican office in London.
Seeing uni as an “extension of college” in that it was “purely academic”, one DLA solicitor apprentice saw the pathway as a way to “get the same qualifications and build practical experience in one the best law firms in the world.” The ability to “build soft skills” in legal practice was also apparently a big draw. Another DLA apprentice echoed this, telling us “it’s pretty much the best of both worlds. You get to experience the uni scene whilst gaining the opportunity to work in an international law firm”. She says she worked whilst studying at sixth form, so found it “easy to adapt to this duality of working and learning”.
On why DLA was their firm of choice, both were keen to mention the culture. “When we had the assessment centre,” one apprentice divulges, “we were reassured that it was okay to be nervous, and I felt that it was a very people-driven approach”. The other apprentice adds, “everyone at DLA was so down to earth and approachable”. She explains that even when she had no real concept of what law looks like in practice, “it was so reassuring to know that there were people at DLA keen to support and mentor [apprentices] into the legal profession”.
Drilling into the core of DLA’s offering, apprentices can experience a bumper eight seat rotations. In the first four years, recruits will rotate annually which gives them ample opportunity to get to know each practice area. “With being in each seat for a year,” one spy says, “you really get to know the matters and documents that you’re drafting for each practice area”. And “the ethos at DLA is that with the correct support in place, we can work towards the level of a trainee or an NQ within each seat”. Continuing, he says “we’re supported to go above and beyond.” Keen also to emphasise development at the firm, they say “a big advantage of this approach is that all the opportunities that trainees or newly qualified associates (NQs) enjoy are available to apprentices should we want them”.
The final two years of the scheme see experienced apprentices embark on DLA’s training contract, comprising the classic four six-monthly seat rotations. One apprentice explains that “when we qualify, we’ll have such a broad knowledge of the practice areas, which will ultimately help us on qualification when it comes to choosing a specialism”. He adds that, “it also gives us a broad understanding of how each practice area interacts, providing a more holistic view of how the firm operates”.
Although working full-time four days a week and studying towards a degree in tandem can have its challenges, “it’s manageable to keep your studies within the one study day,” one apprentice explains. “This might get a bit more difficult when it comes to mock or coursework deadlines,” but she’s quick to reassure that “only a little bit” of weekend studying will be required. And, we’re told, “the teams at DLA are very proactive when it comes to accommodating law school commitments”.
One recruit, having spent time in the real-estate team, tells us how “rewarding” it is to see the fruits of your labour in such a “tangible” way. “I like being able to point to a part of the city and say, ‘I’ve worked on this!’” There’s also great variety in the work undertaken. Currently sitting in employment, another apprentice explains that she has “attended regular court hearings and tribunal hearings. They can get really interesting! It’s also a great opportunity to build networks with barristers and judges, and to get an upper hand on those soft skills you need to become a great lawyer”.
While the daily routine of a solicitor apprentice can vary significantly from one practice area to another and from day to day, one interviewee provides insights into their experience. “In my employment seat, we handle numerous employment tribunal cases, requiring me to stay updated on each case and ensure consistent communication with all stakeholders,” she explains. “Drafting documents and effectively managing projects are crucial aspects of my role, along with utilising legal skills to analyse the law in each case,” she says.
Another apprentice, specialising in real estate, shares this experience: “Today, I drafted a deed of variation, coordinated a due diligence exercise, and reviewed franchise agreements.”
Outside of their practices, DLA recruits will also have the opportunity to help external communities. From helping children secure British citizenship to helping victims of human trafficking, apprentices get full access to the pro-bono work on offer at the firm. Apprentices say how “rewarding” it can be to help those more vulnerable gain access to the law – a huge attraction for the socially conscious.
And, the social life at DLA is not too shabby either. “We’re really integrated into the firm, and we’re always invited along to the trainee socials, which can be office-based or across the UK,” one apprentice reveals. There are office-wide socials like Christmas and summer parties too. “Each team also has their own events, so for the employment team you might go to team-building events and networking sessions,” another tells us. And DLA also boasts several internal networks, from Mosaic, the firm’s race, ethnicity and cultural diversity network to gender and LGBTQ+ networks. Sporty apprentices can look forward to getting stuck into the netball and football teams up in the North or joining London’s managing partner Ruth Hoy on her “running with Ruth” sessions — a cheeky 5k every Wednesday. “It doesn’t end with coming in at nine and leaving at five,” one apprentices emphasises, “there’s so much going on outside of work.”
But what makes DLA Piper really stand out from the crowd? One insider raves about the exposure: “The level and complexity of work that you can get involved in is second-to-none,” he says, “and the opportunities to get involved in broader initiatives, whether that’s in our internal networks, or pro bono – is so varied. You’ll always be able to find something to suit your personal interests”.
On her advice for hopefuls, one insider says simply: “make sure you do your research, and make sure that the firm is right for you just as much as you are right for the firm”. She adds, “you will be spending six years with one firm, so get to know the firm before the application as much as possible”. A second hot tip is to “reach out to current apprentices on LinkedIn, to get a real flavour of the firm you’re applying to”.
