Associate Trainee

Dla-Piper; Helsinki; On-site; EUR 28,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

At DLA Piper in Helsinki, the Associate Trainee program offers hands-on experience by supporting our lawyers across Corporate, Litigation, Real Estate, Finance, IPT, Employment and Tax matters.

You will be a 4th or 5th year law student, work full-time for six months, and benefit from an assigned tutor, professional trainings, and potential future employment discussions based on performance.

Qualifications

• Ideal candidate is a 4th or 5th year law student.
• Fluency in Finnish and English; Swedish desirable.
• Willing to commit to a full-time, six-month fixed-term traineeship.

Responsibilities

• Assist lawyers on diverse cases across all practice groups (Corporate, Litigation & Regulatory, Real Estate, Finance, IPT, Employment, and Tax).
• Participate in professional training sessions and firm events.
• Seek to align tasks with candidate's interests and discuss future employment potential.

Skills

Finnish fluency

English fluency

Social skills

Education

4th/5th year law student

Job description

Experience the world of a leading global law firm. Dive into the dynamic environment of DLA Piper and discover what it is truly like to work at the forefront of law. As an Associate Trainee you will gain hands‑on experience by assisting our lawyers on a diverse range of fascinating cases and projects across all our practice groups: Corporate, Litigation & Regulatory, Real Estate, Finance, Intellectual Property & Technology (IPT), Employment, and Tax. If you are eager to learn and contribute to complex legal challenges, you might be our next Associate Trainee.

About you

• Ideally, you are a 4th or 5th year law student
• You are excited to learn across different practice groups and during your traineeship get a deeper dive into a certain field of law to be agreed together with you
• You have excellent social skills and full fluency in both Finnish and English languages. Swedish and any other language are desirable
• You are service and open-minded
• You are willing to commit yourself to a full-time, six-month fixed‑term traineeship
• You share our vision and values and would love to work with us in a global law firm

What we offer

We offer you a truly international environment during your trainee period. With an assigned personal tutor as your support, you have great colleagues and a warm‑hearted work society.

All Associate Trainees are welcome to participate in our professional training sessions and other events organised by the firm. If you have a particular interest in a specific area of law, we would be pleased to hear about it. Where possible, we aim to offer tasks that align with your interests, particularly in the later stages of your traineeship, helping you gain valuable practical experience in areas that interest you.

Discover your potential and build your future. By the end of your traineeship, you will have gained invaluable insights into your strengths and passions, clarifying your career path. The practical experience and powerful professional connections you forge at DLA Piper will serve as a strong launchpad for your future legal career. In addition, we want to support your individual career interests. We are also glad to discuss possible employment at our firm, subject to our need when you are with us.

Next steps

We are currently recruiting trainees to start in December 2026, February, March, and June 2027.

Our Trainee Program application period is open until September 20, 2026.

If you would like more information on the Trainee Program before submitting your application online, please contact our Partner, Riikka Autio (M: [phone] E: [e-mail] ).

Hope we hear from you soon!

Did you know?

We strive to be the leading global business law firm. We achieve this through offering practical and innovative legal solutions across our platform of practices and sectors. Our continued success as an employer relies on our ability to provide a supportive, inclusive and a motivating environment where everyone has a role to play in supporting the delivery of outstanding service to our clients.

Our people are the soul of our firm. Our culture derives from our corporate values and our different personalities. For us diversity is a unique blend of talents, skills, experiences, and perspectives that makes each of us an individual. We maintain an open, resilient, and transparent culture. Our aim is to build an inclusive and supportive culture where all our people feel they belong and can achieve their best. We value and support each other. We are accessible. Our values consist of:
Be Supportive- we care about others, value diversity and act thoughtfully
Be Collaborative- we give, we share, and we join in
Be Bold- we stand tall and challenge ourselves to think big
Be Exceptional- we exceed standards and expectations

About us

We're a global law firm helping our clients achieve their goals wherever they do business. Our pursuit of innovation has transformed our delivery of legal services. With offices in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, we deliver exceptional outcomes on cross-border projects, critical transactions and high-stakes disputes.

At DLA Piper, we understand that inclusion s not a one-size-fits-all concept. We embrace and celebrate the range of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences that each individual brings to our firm. By fostering a culture that welcomes and appreciates all aspects of our individuality, we ensure that everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

Our commitment to inclusion and positive social impact enables us to provide exceptional service to our clients and communities, while nurturing a unique and inclusive culture for all our people. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.

We are committed to being accessible and accommodating any reasonable adjustments needed throughout the recruitment process to ensure an inclusive experience for all. If you need any support or adjustments, please let us know.

Where local legislation permits, we conduct pre-engagement screening checks prior to your first day.

At DLA Piper, we aim to make meaningful progress and build an inclusive culture where anyone affected by disability, neurodiversity or a long-term health condition has an equitable and accessible chance of success. If you think you may need adjustments or additional support to enable you to participate in our recruitment process, please contact our Recruitment team and we will be happy to support you.

Agile Working

We recognise that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That's why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

Pre-Engagement Screening

In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability, and references from previous employers.

Our hiring approach

Our hiring approach enables us to learn about the professional and person you are, and gives you the opportunity to learn about us. Your recruitment experience can differ depending on the type of role you are interviewing for. You will always meet your direct line manager for your role, as well as peers and close collaborators for the position. For some of our roles we may also use assessment tools, practical exercises, and panel presentations. Your recruitment business partner will inform you of the recruitment process at the start of any recruitment process, but please let us know if you have any questions prior to making an application.

We're redefining what an international law firm can be. With a unique global network and an unparalleled range of expertise, this is where you'll work on the cases that shape the world and will define your career.

Staying in touch with like-minded people is important to us. Our talent community provides unique access to our firm so you can discover why we are a different kind of law firm.

We pride ourselves on the extraordinary impact we make beyond the borders of traditional law. That's only possible because of the skills our business professionals bring and the environment we create to let them thrive. See where your skills could take you.