Meet Beth - Trainee

What is your current role, when did you join the firm? 

I'm a trainee solicitor and I joined in August 2024. I am just about to start my third seat, which is a client secondment with GE Vernova, where I will be sitting in their disputes team and working primarily on international arbitrations in the renewable energy sector.

What inspired you to apply to DLA Piper and do you have any tips for someone looking to apply?

I applied to DLA because it was the only international law firm of its calibre that had offices in the north of the UK. I wanted to train at a top international firm without having to move to London, so DLA was the perfect fit.

In terms of application tips, say what you genuinely feel rather than what you think an interviewer wants you to say. An interviewer will be able to see through something that you are saying without meaning it – I always thought that my line about wanting to stay up north would come across a bit practical, but I think they appreciated the honesty!

What does a typical work day look like for you/ has this varied between your seats? 

My first and second seats were completely different, the first being transactional Real Estate and the second being Litigation and Regulatory.

In Real Estate my typical work day involved juggling lots of matters: conducting due diligence, investigating property titles, reviewing documents, drafting agreements, negotiating clauses with the other side etc.

In Litigation & Regulatory it is common for one large dispute to take up most of my day. As well as drafting I take on a 'project manager' type role, being responsible for deadlines, action lists, trackers and liaising with third parties including outside counsel. There is also a lot more research involved in litigation, usually into niche areas of law.

What is the single most important thing you have learned so far as a trainee? 

It's best to view mistakes as a learning opportunity rather than catastrophising them; being a trainee is a lot of learning on the job so it's normal to do things wrong. I remember a mentor once telling me it's fine to make mistakes, just not to make the same one twice.

What's the best piece of work you've been involved in?

I am in the Public Law sub-team in Litigation, which I find really interesting due to its intersections with social policy, central and local governance and economics.

The best piece of work I worked on was defending a public procurement challenge brought by a private contractor against a group of local authorities.

I saw the dispute right through from early disclosure to settlement: having the opportunity to tick of most litigious trainee tasks such as research, project management, bundling, disclosure review, engaging counsel, preparing for interim hearings and trial and settlement discussions. In the end the matter was also massively rewarding as we secured an amazing result for our client.

Have you been involved in any of the firms networks? 

I am on the committee for Horizons, our social mobility network, attending regular committee meetings and assisting with an initiative called the Bubbles scheme. This scheme places colleagues in a group with other people from various parts of the business, and of various seniorities, as a networking and learning opportunity. Each quarter we have a different conversation starter, and bubbles meet up in their group to discuss the topic before we come together as a network and discuss what was learnt over an informal lunch.

I also fasted during Ramadan, and broke the fast with a delicious meal with colleagues, in support of Mosaic (our racial and ethnic diversity network) and attended Pride with Iris (our LGBTQ+ network).