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.
Ireland – our Dublin office
At Dentons, we’re not just partaking in the legal market; we’re actively shaping it. With our global network spanning 80+ countries, we bring world-class legal expertise right here to Dublin.
Our Dublin office is more than just a workplace – it’s a space where ideas come to life. Since the office launch in 2020, we have introduced a fresh, innovative, and truly international presence to the Irish legal market. Our team is driven by innovation and creativity, always looking for new ways to serve our clients and disrupt traditional law practices. We offer an unrivalled opportunity to work on the most complex and significant domestic and cross-border matters.
From day one, you’ll be given real responsibilities and opportunities to work with clients, you’ll be encouraged to think creatively, challenge norms and develop innovative solutions for our diverse clientele. At Dentons, ongoing training and development programmes are a staple, attracting some of the industry's most respected names and earning us the award for Dublin 'Law Firm of the Year'.
So, if you’re an ambitious candidate seeking more than just any career opportunity and you want to be part of shaping what’s next in global law, then step into the Dentons Dublin office.
2025 Dublin Trainee Solicitor Programme
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.
Starting September 2025, you will embark on the Professional Practice Course (PPC) full-time at Blackhall Place, equipping you with the practical skills necessary for your future legal career.
Following the completion of your PPC, you will commence your in-office training period at Dentons. This will give you the opportunity to experience four different practice areas enabling you to explore at least three distinct areas of law. With the successful completion of all required stages, you will be on track to qualify as a solicitor in 2028 and take part in our Newly Qualified selection process.
Our Dublin Trainee Solicitor Programme is designed to equip you with the skills required to be the lawyer of the future, now. 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. After all, it’s experience that makes great lawyers.
On top of our existing development programme, we have enhanced our Trainee Solicitor Programme to include three additional modules that you will be required to complete throughout the course of the programme: legal project management, innovation and resilience. All designed to help you become the lawyer of the future.
So, if you’re an ambitious candidate seeking more than just any career opportunity and you want to be part of shaping what’s next in global law, then step into the Dentons Dublin office.
Applications are open now and will close on
22 November 2024.
Our 2025 Dublin Trainee Solicitor Programme is open to applicants from all degree disciplines who have already completed all FE1 examinations or are in the process of completing them and will receive their results by May 2025. This means all FE1 examinations will need to be completed by the last sitting in March 2025.
The starting date for this role is September 2025.
The Final Examination (FE-1) is the entrance examination to the Law Society of Ireland. It is held twice a year, normally in spring and autumn and consists of eight papers on core legal subjects. Please visit the Law Society of Ireland
website
for full details.
We are looking for candidates with
Strong academic performance in your Irish Leaving Certificate (at least 480 points) or equivalent post -16 education.
2:1 or higher in your undergraduate degree.
These are broad guidelines, and all interested candidates are encouraged to apply. We review every application holistically and consider all aspects of a candidate’s experience and background
For further information on this role, please see
here
.
2025 Dublin Vacation Scheme
Deciding where to start your career is a big decision. Balance real work with training and networking on our schemes to see what your career at Dentons could look like. Our two-week scheme will give you, and us, an insight into whether we’re a good match.
In each week of the scheme you will experience a different practice area, working closely with a supervisor and your team.
By attending our Vacation Scheme, you'll automatically be assessed for our Trainee Solicitor Programme. This could be the start of something much bigger.
The deadline to apply is
3 January 2025
. Our 2025 Dublin Summer Vacation Scheme will take place from Monday 9 June – Friday 20 June in person at our Dublin office.
Our 2025 Dublin Vacation Scheme is open to applicants from all degree disciplines in their penultimate or final year of their undergraduate degree, and to graduates.
We are looking for candidates with:
Strong academic performance in your Irish Leaving Certificate (at least 480 points) or equivalent post-16 education
A 2:1 or higher in your undergraduate degree.
These are broad guidelines, and all interested candidates are encouraged to apply. We review every application holistically and consider all aspects of a candidate’s experiences and background.
For further information on this role, please see
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 a strong 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.
Experience Dentons
Experience Dentons is our innovative virtual work experience program, designed to give you an insight into life as a commercial solicitor at the world’s largest law firm.
Experience Dentons starts by providing an introduction to law, the commercial world and to Dentons as a firm. Then, as you progress through the program, you will complete work related to each of our key practice areas, honing both your technical and commercial skills. By the end of Experience Dentons you will have completed a range of meaningful activities, gained insight to insider information from Dentons and will receive a certificate to help boost your LinkedIn profile and CV.
There is no application process or deadline, it is an open access programme, but candidates must be above the age of 16 years old to participate.
The programme contains five days' worth of tasks that can be completed at your own pace.
If you are a student or graduate ready to challenge the conventional then Dentons. Next Talent, our talent network, is designed for ambitious aspiring future lawyers like you, ready to disrupt the legal scene.
As part of our community, you’ll gain
exclusive access to events
at Dentons. You’ll be the first to know about these exciting events, giving you a competitive edge in your career journey. We host regular webinars and workshops led by the Dentons Early Careers team and legal professionals across the firm, offering a unique opportunity to gain industry insights and enhance your legal knowledge.
These
interactive sessions
are designed to challenge your thinking, stimulate your curiosity, and equip you with the skills needed to be a game-changer in the legal field. From understanding what innovation really means to a law firm, to mastering the recruitment process, our webinars and workshops are your ticket to a successful legal career.
By attending these events, you’ll be part of a
network of future lawyers
, where you can exchange ideas, share insights, and learn from our legal professionals on the perspective and skills that push the boundaries of commercial law and underpin what makes the successful commercial lawyer of the future.
You’ll also be alerted when we open recruitment for our open days, vacation schemes and trainee solicitor programmes so you won’t miss out when it comes to application season.
At Dentons, inclusion and diversity is 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 program, access initiatives, mentoring programs, and a series of events and conversation focussed on equity and inclusion.
Our Affinity Groups 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.