Scotland Trainee Solicitor Programme 2028

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 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 ready to be bold. To question. To break tradition. To lead the future. 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.

Please note not every department is available in all of our offices, but all our teams work closely together.

Trainee Solicitor Programme 2028

The business of law is changing, and we want you to be right there with it. The lawyers of the future start here.

Our Trainee Solicitor Programme is designed to equip you with the skills required to be the lawyer of the future. 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 two-year, four seat Trainee Solicitor Programme is designed to equip you with the skills required to be the lawyer of the future, now.

Trainees undertaking our Central Belt Trainee Solicitor Programme have the opportunity to complete seats in both offices (Edinburgh & Glasgow), in all our key UK practice areas, alongside client and international secondments.

Alongside market leading support and development, you’ll have the chance to put knowledge into action and start building your legal career from day one.

The deadline to apply is 31 March 2026.

Who Should Apply?

There is no such thing as a ‘typical’ trainee 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 a strong academic performance but consider every application we receive in context and holistically. We encourage you to include mitigating circumstances if relevant and we have also implemented the Rare Contextual Recruitment System, to give us additional context to every candidate’s application

Eligibility for Scotland: Penultimate year Scots Law students, final year Scots Law students and Scots Law graduates. 

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Diversity, inclusion and wellbeing

At Dentons, inclusion, diversity and wellbeing are not just a core values – they are 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 and wellbeing that is empowering to the individual, to the teams and to the Firm.

Examples of our inclusion and wellbeing strategy include a focus on access initiatives, mentoring programmes, providing access to support, and a series of events and conversation focussed on wellbeing 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 Accessibility (Disability), BPN (Black Professionals), Fusion (Asian Professionals), GLOW (LGBTQ+), Inspire (Gender Equality), and our Parents and Carers network.

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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.

Throughout your programme you will be encouraged to enrich your innovation skills and knowledge. See here for further information on how we help our clients innovate in different ways