DLA Piper is one of the world’s leading business law firms. With over 90 offices in more than 40 countries, we provide seamless local and cross-border advice. We believe great businesses can make a better world. That’s why, every day, at DLA Piper, we help our clients succeed.

At DLA Piper, our progressive mindset challenges conventions and evolves our global legal offering into broader advisory services and new business areas. Through our deep industry knowledge, technological solutions, and diversity of thought and experience, clients embrace change and seize opportunities.

Our ten sector groups cover the full range of business law services. Clients include multinationals, start-ups, public sector bodies and governments. Across the two leading legal directories, we have over 2,726 lawyer rankings, and over 1,277 practice group/sector rankings. Our global pro bono practice contributed over 205,000 pro bono hours in 2019 alone. Throughout our six year partnership with UNICEF, we have donated pro bono legal services in excess of USD6.5 million to support UNICEF’s work on issues such as child marriage, birth registration, transitional justice and international protection standards.

Our entrepreneurial and supportive culture promotes bold, ambitious thinking and a warm, empathetic approach. Trusting, collaborative relationships with clients and each other is at the heart of everything we do.

OUR OPPORTUNITY

Our Paralegal  Apprenticeship is a 2 year programme providing you with the opportunity to gain valuable legal skills working in our Service Delivery function, whilst at the same time working towards a Paralegal Level 3 Apprenticeship Certificate of Higher Education.

During your apprenticeship, you will gain experience in a commercial law firm with four 6 month rotations. The first two rotations will be in the Legal Delivery Centre working as a paralegal. The third rotation will be in one of our Service Delivery solutions teams which include Legal Project Management, Legal Technology and Business Process Improvement. This rotation will give you the opportunity to experience how the firm is enhancing its legal offering with more technology solutions, advisory services and new products. Your final rotation will be in the Legal Delivery Centre.

The rotational nature of the programme gives you the opportunity to gain broad work experience and a diverse skill set. You will participate in a comprehensive induction, regular training and a bespoke apprentice development plan delivered via the DLA Piper Academy to develop your technical competence and behavioural skills.

You will be based in the firm’s Leeds office, and you will work with colleagues across the UK and International offices, meaning that you will be involved in a broad range of legal matters.

The Paralegal Apprenticeship is delivered in partnership with an external academic institution. Each week, you will have one day (20%) dedicated to your studies, and four days (80%) learning through practical on the job work experience.

You will have wide ranging support from a buddy for peer support, a mentor, a programme manager and an external skills coach. There will be regular networking and social events, as well as the opportunity to participate in the firm’s sectors and employee networks. You will also have the opportunity to complete pro bono work.

Our Paralegal Apprenticeship programme is open to all students in Year 13 who are in their final year of A Levels or BTEC or those who have already completed their higher education. We also welcome applications from career changers who may not have completed a degree.

The Paralegal Apprenticeship programme will commence in September 2021 in our Leeds office.