What do you think makes DLA Piper different to other law firms? 

The DLA Piper Dublin office presents a unique opportunity for those interested in practicing commercial law in Ireland. Given the office is only 5 years old, the firm has a wonderful feeling of being new and fresh. One benefit of this recency is that trainees have a level of exposure that is unique among big commercial firms in Dublin. From day one, you’ll be given amazing levels of responsibility by senior lawyers. You’ll find yourself performing at the level of an associate by the time you finish each rotation due to this exposure.

How have you been involved in the firm’s Law& offering?

I’ve been heavily involved in pushing the firm’s Law& offering throughout my time as a trainee. Due to its scale and international presence, DLA Piper has a huge array of support and tech solutions to be explored and used, and I’ve loved figuring out how to use these solutions and efficiencies as a trainee. Being more junior means I can engage with the wider firm’s legal solutions, as being new to the workplace offers an opportunity to try and do work differently. Experimenting in this way has been encouraged by the more senior lawyers at the firm. 

Do you have any advice for students aspiring to pursue a career in law?

Be as curious as possible and keep asking questions! Engaging as much as possible with different lawyers and trying new ways of working has helped me an enormous amount as a trainee. However, acting in this way can feel counterintuitive, especially when starting out in your career. My experience has been that curiosity is always rewarded at DLA Piper, and it’s opened many doors for me during my traineeship.