Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my internship at DLA Piper. I felt that three weeks was just the right amount of time to gain a great insight into the culture and working atmosphere of the firm, and also to prove my capabilities and fit for DLA Piper. I spent the first four days in the London office with all other 89 interns and the remainder of my time at the Sheffield office (which I applied for). I found my time at the firm challenging but also very rewarding with many dinners out and social events to participate in.

From the beginning of my first day in the Sheffield office I felt a valued member of the firm. I sat in two different practice groups for one week each and was tasked with real work for real clients. It was fantastic to be delegated this level of responsibility as an intern at the firm. I was allocated a line manager in each practice group and at the end of the week I had an appraisal which was a great opportunity to receive feedback on my work. I felt that I could always ask questions about my work to my line manager or the trainee who I sat next to.

There was ample support and guidance from my line manger when I needed it, but they also let me try and tackle the work independently first. I found this to be really helpful but it gave me a true insight into what life would be like as a trainee solicitor at the firm. The Graduate Recruitment Team were in constant contact with us throughout our internship, providing us with information and reminders. Graduate Recruitment also visited the office on two occasions throughout the internship: once on the day of our client pitch/presentation and attended our celebration dinner in the evening, and second in the final week.

The skills that I developed during my internship will certainly aid my progression through the LPC course and further my confidence in my own abilities. I found the first week of the internship to be very useful for skill development as we engaged in workshops on presentation skills and promoting our own brand/image. I also undertook a group project to pitch to a client which challenged my team work, research and presentation skills.

The internship was very well structured with the first four days spent in the London office with the other interns from across the UK and the remaining two weeks and one day spent in the office that we applied for. In London we received presentations from very senior people into the firm and learnt about how the firm operates a global business. In our office locations we engaged in practice insight video conferences with the remaining UK offices and the Hong Kong office which was a great educational experience. When in our office locations we sat in two different practice groups and completed real work for real clients.

I found the atmosphere in the office to be open, friendly and approachable. My line managers were willing to devote time to provide me with feedback and to answer my questions. This indicates the collaborative and non-hierarchical culture of DLA Piper. I met with very senior people from the firm which I believe reflects a down-to-earth culture and willingness to invest in the future of the firm.

In the first week of my internship the firm put on workshops and skills sessions tailored to improving our presentation skills and awareness of promoting our own brand/image. I believe that DLA Piper invest heavily in recruiting the best talent for the future of the law firm and this was reflect by the fact that we received presentations and engaged in video conferences with very senior members of the firm. I also attended two dinners at which partners were present at both, which was a great opportunity to learn more about the firm.

I think the fact that the internship was for three weeks provided a true insight into what life would be like at the firm as a trainee solicitor. Throughout my internship I was able to meet and work with a variety of people across all seniority levels, highlighting the collaborative working nature of the firm.

The firm were generally very generous with reimbursing travel expenses to and from the London office and we were put up in a hotel in London for the first four days of the internship which was fully paid for. In addition, throughout the internship we were taken for dinners and were reimbursed for evening meals whilst in London.

There were plenty of opportunities for networking and meeting other employees of the firm. The first four days of the internship in London were dedicated to networking and engaging with presentations from very senior members of the firm. Also, whilst in London we were taken to dinner which was attended by partners of the firm, which was a fantastic opportunity to ask questions in a relaxed environment. In Sheffield, we also had a dinner with partners of the firm and on the first evening the office put on a barbecue on the balcony which was attended by a variety of fee earners.

One afternoon we went on a visit to St Luke's Hospice with whom the Sheffield office have pro bono links. This was a very different afternoon and was a great opportunity to learn about the pro bono and charity work that the office engages in. DLA Piper have a strong focus on corporate responsibility and this was clearly evidenced from this afternoon.