Milton Keynes Trainee Solicitor Programme 2027

We are Dentons. The world’s largest law firm. With more than 12,500 people in 80+ countries around the world, we have unique breadth, depth and diversity. Alongside our award-winning global work, we are committed to a culture of innovation, giving back and inclusion.

Dentons is designed to be different. The landscape we work in is changing at an accelerating pace. We embrace this change and are looking for trainees and apprentices to join us in redefining what is possible and in shaping the future of law.

Your career at Dentons can shape up to be something extraordinary. It’s a place for those who are driven to challenge. To question. To break tradition. To put your career firmly into fast-forward. This could be the start of something big.

Main areas of work

Trainees and apprentices are able to choose from a wealth of seats to work with experts across our practice areas: Banking and Finance, Competition, Corporate, Dispute Resolution, Projects, PRM (People, Reward and Mobility), Real Estate, Tax and TMT (Technology, Media and Telecommunications).

Work is also about more than just work here. It's about the environment too, and the feeling you get from your team, office and beyond. Our teams are focused on inclusion, giving back, and on looking forward with innovation.

Milton Keynes

If you're a Challenger seeking a legal career in a city that balances a thriving professional environment with a high quality of life, Milton Keynes is the place for you. Our open-plan office fosters a collaborative atmosphere where innovation and teamwork are at the forefront of everything we do. Here, you'll have the chance to engage in stellar international work, tackling cross-border matters that will advance and expand your legal expertise.

Milton Keynes is not just a city; it's a community known for its forward-thinking design and ample green spaces. After a day of working on wide array of legal matters, you can unwind by exploring the city's many lakes and parks, or enjoy the diverse dining and entertainment options that the city has to offer. The office is home to several highly esteemed Partners who are leaders in their fields, providing you with invaluable mentorship and the opportunity to learn from the best.

Choosing Milton Keynes means choosing a city that is on the rise—a place where your career can flourish without compromising your quality of life. For Challengers looking to stay or relocate to a vibrant, growing city, Milton Keynes offers the perfect blend of professional opportunity and personal satisfaction.

I chose to join the Dentons MK office as I wanted exposure to City clients without having to live the City lifestyle every day. I love the fact that MK has amazing transport connections/links enabling me to travel to our other offices when required to meet with colleagues and clients. The open-plan office creates such a friendly and inclusive atmosphere. Also, there are only two floors, so everyone knows everyone! – Dentons Trainee.

Milton Keynes Trainee Solicitor Programme 2027

The business of law is changing, and we want you to be right there with it. To take us from largest to leading, we're looking for our trainees to think big and see the future of law in a new way.

Our Trainee Solicitor Programme is designed to equip you with the skills required to be the lawyer of the future. On top of our award-winning development programme, we have included three additional modules that you will be required to complete throughout your time with us: legal project management, innovation and resilience. All designed to help you become the lawyer of the future.

Our modernised programme marks the first stage in your journey from lawyer to leader. The lawyers of the future start here.

Who Should Apply?

There is no such thing as a ‘typical’ trainee or apprentice at Dentons and that’s the way we like it. Our expertise within the Firm is as diverse as the needs of our global clients. What we have in common is the ability to contribute to our growing success.

We generally look for an excellent academic performance but consider every application we receive in context and holistically. We also encourage you to include mitigating circumstances if relevant.

We have also implemented the Rare Contextual Recruitment System, to give us additional context to every candidate’s application.

Eligibility for Milton Keynes: Penultimate year law students, all final year students and graduate.

Diversity, inclusion and wellbeing

At Dentons, inclusion and diversity are not just a core value – it is an integral part of our strategy. Building a more inclusive and diverse law firm is core to our strategy because it leads to better business outcomes for our clients, our communities and for Dentons.

We believe in creating an environment where everyone can thrive. We work hard to nurture a sense of inclusion that is empowering to the individual, to the teams and to the Firm.

Examples of our inclusion strategy include a focus on allyship programmes, access initiatives, mentoring programmes, and a series of events and conversation focussed on equity and inclusion.

Our Inclusion Networks also play a huge part in fostering a sense of belonging and support for everyone at the firm. These groups include GLOW (LGBTQ+), Fusion (Asian Professionals), BPN (Black Professionals), Inspire (Gender Equality), Accessibility (Disability), and our Parents and Carers network.

Innovation

Here at Dentons, innovation isn’t something that sits in isolation – we believe it comes from everywhere and from everyone, and it is critical to our position as the world’s largest global law firm. We do this by challenging ourselves to identify and implement innovation across all areas of service delivery to our clients.

We have created a highly bespoke programme for our trainees, to enhance their knowledge around legal innovation and digital transformation. At every seat rotation, each trainee will undertake an innovation project, and with the help of their designated Innovation Training Scheme supervisor, and Innovation team, will create a project based on one of the following categories: AI (Machine Learning), Document Automation, Design Thinking, RPA (Robotic Process Automation), Data Visualization or a Business Case. These projects, not only help to broaden trainees’ understanding of legal innovation but also help us to identify and address innovation gaps within the firm.