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EARLY CAREERS

Master de acceso
internship

Apply now
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About this programme

Our Master de Acceso internship takes place over an academic year. The internship will support your registration for the mandatory traineeship to qualify for the bar exam in Spain.

Programme details

Explore the intersection between law and business. Develop the foundation of skills you need for a global legal career. You’ll do all this, and more, on our six to twelve month Master de Acceso internship in our Madrid office, starting in September annually. 

This isn’t just a chance to shadow our lawyers. You’ll play a real role in our teams and take on responsibility from day one. Whether attending court hearings, working with clients or developing your professional network, you’ll experience the cutting edge of the legal sector. You'll discover how law can unlock potential around the world and in your own career. That includes seeing how a purpose-led organisation makes a difference through pro bono work and sustainability commitments.

The internship is your chance to see if law is a career you can thrive in. Working across our practice groups and sectors, you’ll be giving your career the best platform by developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours that will support your professional growth.

During the internship, you will:

  • experience the complexities of our work and discover how you can make a real impact around the world. You’ll see how we think across borders to find creative solutions for our clients;
  • join a forward-looking, friendly team while collaborating with colleagues around the world;
  • develop your knowledge and skills through structured learning and development opportunities;
  • be supported by a strong network of supervisors, buddies, and mentors to develop your confidence and identify your own personal and professional goals;
  • be part of an international early careers community full of talented colleagues who’ll become part of your global network;
  • have opportunities to explore interests beyond your role, including legal tech, sustainability and pro bono work, to give you an authentic insight into life at DLA Piper; and
  • enjoy a supportive working environment where your wellbeing is always a priority and your workload is managed so you can always deliver your best.

You’ll have the freedom to discover your own path and make an extraordinary impact beyond the borders of traditional law. Tomorrow’s legal industry can’t hire yesterday’s skills. Unlock your potential and start building a different kind of legal career.

What do we look for?

We’re looking for people from a diverse range of backgrounds who have the potential to thrive at our firm.

To succeed on our early careers programmes, you don’t need any specific legal experience or education, but you will, in addition to the eligibility criteria:

  • have an interest in international law and business;
  • have a forward-thinking and entrepreneurial mindset and will be excited about doing things differently in the legal industry;
  • be self-motivated by a strong desire to achieve your personal and professional goals;
  • enjoy collaborating with others and will be instinctively socially aware;
  • have a growth mindset so you see setbacks as learning opportunities, and you’ll proactively look for ways to grow and develop;
  • enjoy working in an ever-changing environment; and
  • enjoy taking ownership of tasks and thinking critically.

Please note: Applications for our 2025 programme will open in September 2024.

Am I eligible?

You’ll need to be a strong English (at least C1 level) and Spanish speaker, reader and writer. Also: 

  • You’ll have graduated from a law degree or double degree.
  • You’ll have achieved a GPA of 7 for dual bachelor’s degree and GPA of 7.5 for single bachelor’s degree. 
  • You’ll be studying the ‘master de Acceso’ or double masters (specialised masters).
  • You’ll have the right to work in Spain for the duration of the programme (35 hours per week). We are unable to sponsor visas for the Master de Acceso Internship.

Key dates

  • Applications open: September 2024

  • Application deadline: December 2024

  • Internship duration: 6 to 12 months

  • Internship start date: September 2025

     

DLA Piper in Spain
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DLA Piper in Spain

Watch this video to learn more about life at DLA Piper in Spain.

Accessibility
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Accessibility

At DLA Piper, we are committed to making reasonable adjustments and removing disability-related barriers. This is so everyone, irrespective of a visible or non-visible disability, neurodivergence, a long-term health condition or injury, has an equitable opportunity to succeed in our recruitment process.

If you think you may need adjustments or additional support to enable you to participate in our recruitment process, please get in touch with our Early Careers team and we will be happy to support you.

We understand that sharing your needs with us may feel daunting. We will have an open discussion with you about what will work best for you in the recruitment process, and you only need to share what you feel comfortable with. Our team will ensure that the information you provide will be treated confidentially. The information will only be shared with others involved in the process, on your approval, and where necessary.

We will use the information you share to put adjustments in place for you at any stage, or at multiple stages, of the recruitment process. This is to enable you to perform to the best of your ability, and to have an equitable opportunity to perform and thrive.

DLA Piper attends Careers Days in Spain
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DLA Piper attends Careers Days in Spain

We enjoy meeting law students at universities across Spain to showcase DLA Piper! Students enjoy learning about our values and our Early Careers opportunities, as well as meeting our lawyers and HR team.

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Recruitment roadmap

Application form

Complete our application form to give us some key information about you and submit your CV. 

Assessment day

If your application is successful, you’ll be invited to an assessment day at our offices. On this day, you’ll complete a group exercise so we can get to know you better and see how you work in a team.

Online English assessment

We use an online English assessment to test your English language skills. The online assessment is untimed and you can complete it at your own pace. But you have to complete your assessment within five working days of receiving the link.

We recommend you spend some time practising to get used to the types of questions you may be asked. You’ll be required to obtain at least a C1 pass level in this assessment. 

Business case

You’ll be invited to complete a technical written assessment relating to the practice group you’re aspiring to join. This assessment will be assessed by lawyers within the practice group.

Interviews

The interviews with HR and colleagues within our practice groups will assess your motivations for and alignment to the role you’ve applied for. They’re focused on the behaviours that are important for success at DLA Piper. The interview is also your chance to demonstrate your strengths and help us get to know you better. 

Ready to shape your future with DLA Piper?

Apply now

Frequently asked questions

Can I use Generative AI tools in the recruitment process?

Generative AI (GenAI) is a fascinating branch of AI that can produce original and creative content. It uses complex algorithms and neural networks to learn from data and generate outputs that mimic human-like creativity. The data used to train GenAI tools can be text, images, audio, video or other types of content.

GenAI is changing how we work and will impact how you work in your career. It has the potential to bring benefits and opportunities yet also poses challenges and risks.

If you're planning to use GenAI tools within the recruitment process, we'd recommend being both responsible and cautious. The recruitment process for our early careers programmes is your opportunity to demonstrate your potential – your experiences, skills, strengths and career aspirations. It's also our way of assessing whether you're likely to succeed in an early careers role at DLA Piper.

Integrity and honesty are fundamental attributes of anyone aspiring to work in the legal industry. Using GenAI tools can be helpful in your job search and in the application process, if the tools are used appropriately. Maintaining integrity whilst using these tools requires human direction over how generative AI is used, and here's our top tips for getting this right.

What does good use of GenAI tools look like?

  1. Upskilling yourself on the limitations of GenAI technologies and being aware of GenAI tools-related risks and how to prevent them.

  2. Being transparent about your use of AI. Be prepared to discuss how you've used GenAI tools in the recruitment process – this will demonstrate your ability to leverage new technologies effectively whilst also showing that you understand what ethical usage looks like.

  3. Understanding how the GenAI tools work. GenAI tools like ChatGPT are like a 'really big word calculator' – you don't need to have detailed knowledge about the inner workings of the GenAI tools, but taking the time to understand how they work is important to ensure you're using the GenAI tools appropriately.

  4. Researching employers and what different employers are looking for from candidates. GenAI tools can be helpful in finding job opportunities which match your strengths and career aspirations.

  5. Helping your initial brainstorming process. GenAI tools can help inspire, clarify and articulate your ideas, but they cannot replicate your personal thoughts and feelings. Always refine the tool's output using your own voice and experiences - an AI-generated response to a motivational question will not authentically convey your skills and experiences.

  6. Helping you structure your ideas. Once you've decided what you want to say, a GenAI tool could help you decide how to layout your ideas. Always check the tool's output, which should be used as a first draft for you to edit.

  7. Checking written responses for readability, especially for spelling, grammar and clarity.

  8. Anonymising your inputs to the tool and removing all personal data and sensitive information. For example, if you're asking the GenAI tool to check your CV for brevity, remember to remove your name from the document you upload. This is because all data inputted into GenAI tools is used to train the algorithm and the tools are not usually capable of maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information.

  9. Asking the tool for tips on how to prepare for online assessments, for example the Watson Glaser critical thinking assessment. These tips can help you prepare for and reduce your anxiety when completing the real assessment.

  10. Using the tool to help you prepare for interviews or assessment centres, by asking for example interview questions.

What does poor use of GenAI tools look like?

  1. Copy and pasting AI-generated responses without editing the output or clearly acknowledging where the information has been obtained from. Don't rely on automated personalisation and don't let the GenAI tools replace your personal stories and experiences.

  2. Using simple and generic prompts. The tool's output will be based on the question you ask it (known as a prompt) so it may not always provide comprehensive or relevant information.

  3. Relying solely on the GenAI tools and not checking the output for factual accuracy. Always understand the sources of the AI-generated content and fact check all outputs.

  4. Using the GenAI tools to replace your thoughts and capabilities.

  5. Using the GenAI tools to misrepresent your skills, strengths or experiences.

  6. Using the GenAI tools to complete online assessments within the recruitment process, because they will give an inaccurate picture of your true abilities. These assessments are designed to assess your capabilities and potential, therefore using GenAI tools to generate answers for you will misrepresent how you naturally think.

  7. Using the GenAI tools to give you responses to video interview questions. This is because the responses will not portray your authentic voice, may not contain accurate content and will likely not sound natural when read aloud. Overreliance on scripted responses from GenAI tools will also mean that you'll be less prepared for unexpected questions.

Explore how we're helping clients understand the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence here.

Can you tell me more about DLA Piper in Spain?

We offer a unique blend of global and local insights and perspectives. As a leading global law firm in Spain, we deliver exceptional legal services to our clients and shape the future of the legal industry.

In Madrid, we have over 90 lawyers who offer a full range of services. We understand the market and local legislation and provide legal advice to our national and international clients operating in the Spanish market.

Our people come from a diverse range of backgrounds; it’s what sets us apart. By opening up a range of different and unique perspectives, we can service our clients better.

Do you accept international law students?

Within our Master de Acceso Internship, international law students are eligible to apply if they are currently studying the Master de Acceso and they plan to apply to the Bar Exam in Spain. 

Do interns rotate between different practice groups during the internship?

No, you’ll join one practice group for the internship duration. We’ll ask you to choose your preferred practice groups when you apply and will try to assign you to one of these for the programme.

Do interns participate in pro bono activities during the internship?

Yes, we encourage all interns to participate in pro bono activities.

What career opportunities are available after the internship?

At the end of the internship, you’ll have the opportunity to be assessed, based on your performance, and our availability, for a position as a Lawyer with us. 

How can my career progress at DLA Piper?

You’ll follow a personalised learning journey to support your career development and growth. 

Is fluent English mandatory?

Yes, you’ll need to be a strong English and Spanish speaker, reader and writer (minimum +C1 level). Your English language skills will be assessed during our assessment and selection process.

Do you accept mitigating circumstances for academic results?

If you do have any mitigating circumstances that you’d like us to take into account alongside your application, please contact us to discuss further.

Who should I contact if I have questions?

Please contact Daniela Fermín (HR Advisor) if you have further questions.