DLA Piper Summer Internship Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the internship at DLA Piper, it was everything I'd hoped for and more. There is clearly so much time and effort put into creating the programme as you are given the opportunity to participate in so many worthwhile activities that allow you to showcase and improve upon your own skillset in a professional working environment.

Straight from the beginning of Week One, you feel incredibly valued. The firm places a great degree of confidence in you by giving you trainee-level work throughout the internship which makes you feel trusted and in turn, pushes you to do as good a job as possible. As well as this, everyone from the Graduate Recruitment staff, to the trainees and partners are extremely down to earth and welcoming.

All interns receive as great deal of support throughout the internship. The Graduate Recruitment staff are always on hand to give advice and answer any queries you may have. As well as this, the trainees are honest and insightful in their advice. Once in the seat rotations in the second and third weeks of the internship, interns receive meetings at the beginning and end of each seat with their line manager (typically a senior associate/partner) who offer incredibly useful feedback and help you to set goals for the rest of your internship and future career,.

Its impossible to state just how much the internship taught me in so few words - quite simply, a lot! During the first week, presentations are given which teach interns everything from presentation skills to useful information about the firm which aid interns to not only succeed on the internship, but allow them to develop skills which remain with them long after the internship has ended.

The structure of the internship is perhaps the most impressive part of the whole experience. There is just the right balance between work/presentations and social/networking activities. The first week of the internship is especially well structured with interns given the chance to learn about the firm through engaging seminar-style presentations and also given plenty of chances to get to know the other interns through enjoyable social events.

The atmosphere from day one through to the end of the final week was nothing short of exhilarating! The excitement of ther interns and the staff throughout make the whole experience incredibly enjoyable. The attitude of the Graduate Recruitment staff help to calm any nerves you may have to create a fantastic atmosphere to allow you to shine.

This is another particularly impressive part of the internship. The first week especially is aimed partly at developing networking and presenting skills of the interns to allow them to flourish in their home offices in the second and third weeks of the internships. Having the opportunity to talk with partners/associates allows interns to develop key skills for the legal workplace.

By being given trainee-level work throughout the internship allows interns to understand what would be expected of them if they were to be offered a full-time position at DLA Piper. Once in your home office, you become fully immersed in the company and feel like a proper member of the team you are placed in.

A real emphasis is placed on helping interns to understand the key values of DLA Piper as well as initiatives (such as pro-bono and diversity inclusion) that the firm is incredibly dedicated to supporting. Once in the home offices, interns are given the opportunity to see how such initiatives are played out in practice by being invited to learn more about them.

The firm places a great deal of care into helping interns to understand exactly what type of work DLA Piper is involved in so as to help interns to see if this is where they could themselves working in the future. One of the great things about DLA Piper is just how many areas of law the firm specialises in.

The firm pays interns extremely well and promptly for the work we do over the three weeks.

The firm puts on plenty of networking events throughout the internship to allow you to ask any queries or questions you have as well as simply getting the opportunity to get to know those who work at the firm. Events such as dinners and drinks receptions provide this opportunity to interns.

The firm gives you ample opportunity to unwind throughout the busy internship through social events such as dinners as well as informal nights out organised by the trainees. Interns are also invited along to various events such as a pub quiz, sports events the trainees are involved in etc.

Interns are told of various opportunities to get involved in, especially local events once you are in your home office. Activities include sports events, fundraisers and social events.

I would highly recommend DLA Piper's Summer Internship to anybody who wishes to pursue a career in a business law firm. The internship is incredibly well structured, engaging and interesting from start to finish and was without doubt, the greatest experience of my professional life to date.