• Services a number of industries, including financial services, insurance, real estate, technology and consumer goods, but particular recognition for its work in the construction and real estate sector.
• Chambers and Partners has awarded the firm Band 1 rankings for its Energy & Natural Resources: Mining: Domestic, Investment Funds: Investor Representation, Private Equity: Buyouts: up to £500 million and Retail departments. 
• One of the largest global law firms, with headquarters in London and over 80 offices in more than 40 countries, including Vienna, Auckland, Seoul and Miami.
• Buddy-mentor scheme ensures new starters have a supportive network. 
• The firm’s pro bono work includes supporting Feeding America and KIND UK as well as developing its own global pro bono initiative called New Perimeter. 
• Embracing innovative legal-tech with solutions like Aiscension, an AI-powered service for identifying competition law-related risks in large companies, and through hosting Global Technology Summits to stay at the forefront of advances in technology.
• Notable clients include Warner Bros. Discovery, Luminous Energy and Merlin Entertainments. 

We cover these selling points in more detail below, alongside other relevant firm facts and characteristics.

Practice areas / services

DLA Piper a full-service law firm, with a broad range of practice areas including:

• Corporate
• Employment
• Finance
• Intellectual Property and Technology
• Investment Management and Funds
• Litigation, Arbitration, and Investigations
• Private Equity
• Projects, Energy, and Infrastructure
• Real Estate
• Regulatory and Government Affairs
• Restructuring 
• Sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance
• Tax
  

Chambers and Partners, a leading analyst of the legal market, has awarded DLA Piper its highest ‘Band 1’ rankings for the following departments: Energy & Natural Resources: Mining: Domestic, Investment Funds: Investor Representation, Private Equity: Buyouts: up to £500 million and Retail. See here for more information 

Key sectors / industries

DLA Piper services a broad range of industries, with some of its highest-value clients operating in the following sectors:

• Financial Services
• Insurance
• Real Estate
• Technology

In addition, DLA Piper services the following industries: consumer goods, food and retail; energy and natural resources; government contracting; healthcare; hospitality and leisure; industrials; infrastructure, construction and transport; life science; and media, sport and entertainment.

Work

DLA Piper consistently works on high profile, cross border matters. Some examples of its work include: 

• Warner Bros Discovery: The firm advised Warner Bros. Discovery and Liberty Global Ltd, joint owners of leading television production and distribution company All3Media, on its agreed £1.15 billion sale to Redbird IMI. 
• Luminous Energy: DLA Piper has advised Luminous Energy on a milestone solar energy agreement with Bristol Airport. 
• Merlin Entertainment: The firm advised Merlin Entertainments on a partnership with Mojang Studios which will see Mojang Studios’ popular Minecraft franchise brought to life through permanent real-life themed experiences. 

Older examples

• Philip Morris International: DLA Piper, as International Counsel, advised Philip Morris Holland Holdings B.V.  on its public offer to shareholders Swedish Match AB.
• Harrison Street: The law firm advised investment management firm Harrison Street on the sale of seven purpose-built student accommodation properties to Global Student Accommodation.
• Borosil Renewables: DLA Piper advised the Indian solar glass manufacturer on its acquisition of Europe’s largest solar glass producer, Interfloat Group. 

Offices / global footprint / expansion

Headquarters: London, 160 Aldersgate Street

Offices: DLA Piper has over 80 offices in more than 40 countries around the world. Just some of the firm’s locations include Vienna, Auckland, Seoul, and Miami. 

Insights, internships and other opportunities

DLA Piper offers several opportunities for students to gain direct experience of working life at the firm. The firm’s Insight Programme, which is open to both law and non-law students, is designed to give attendees an insight into the firm’s practice groups and innovation in the legal sector, as well as the chance to network with employees. For those seeking a place on DLA Piper’s Graduate Programme, the firm’s Summer Internship offers the chance to take on real work and build professional skills before interviewing for a training contract at the end of the three weeks. 

Training contract

DLA Piper offers a four-seat training contract, with each seat lasting six months. During each six-month rotation, trainees will deepen their knowledge of the law as well as develop practical skills that will aid their future careers. DLA Piper’s buddy-mentor scheme, meanwhile, ensures new starters have a supportive network, which can encourage them to get involved in all aspects of life at the firm. 

Secondments

DLA Piper offers its trainees the opportunity to apply for an international secondment. These placements last six months and enable trainees to gain an insight into working life at one of the firm’s overseas offices, with a particularly popular location being Dubai. 

DLA Piper is committed to “strengthening civil society and building capacity” through its pro bono work, with work including:

• Kids in Needs of Defence (KIND): The firm joined KIND UK as a partner in 2017. The firm’s lawyers work on cases of undocumented children and young people in Birmingham, London, Glasgow and Manchester. 
• New Perimeter: DLA Piper have developed a global pro bono initiative called New Perimeter which collaborates with charitable organisations, governments and academic institutions across the globe in under-served regions to provide pro bono assistance. 
• Feeding America: The firm often represents Feeding America in a pro bono capacity, which is the largest hunger relief organisation in the US. 

Diversity and inclusion

DLA Piper is driven to “emerge as a leader through insight, innovation, diversity and inclusion”. To this end, the firm has integrated its goals and concepts into the way in which it manages its people and business. Projects upholding these goals include: 

• Emerging Leaders Program: The firm created a 15-month Emerging Leaders development program to help cultivate partners within the firm, in part through helping to grow their business development and leadership skills. 
• Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Programs: DLA Piper has a partnership with the LCLD which has created access to developmental programs for diverse lawyers at varying stages in their careers, including the Pathfinders program for junior associates and Fellows for mid-career emerging leaders. 
• Resource Groups: The firm has a number of resource groups which focus on the development, advancement, and retention of members by hosting events, creating mentorship and sponsorship opportunities, and amplifying diverse voices.