DLA Piper staggers trainee start dates
updated on 17 June 2020
New trainees at DLA Piper are being offered £10,000 to delay starting work until August 2021. Staggered start dates have been implemented at the international firm, which recruits around 70 graduates each year – one of the City’s biggest intakes, according to the Law Gazette.
While some trainees will start as scheduled in August 2020, others will receive a £5,000 grant to start in February 2021 and some will begin in August 2021 with a £10,000 grant.
The firm has confirmed that staggering trainee start dates is not a cash saving exercise and that it aims to support new trainees while limiting the potential effects on future intakes.
UK managing partner Liam Cowell said: “In line with many other law firms, we are preparing for a gradual and voluntary return to offices over the next few months, and as such, are offering all our new trainees a similar gradual approach by phasing our dates to start their careers at DLA Piper.
“Fostering an environment that is supportive and collaborative is central to our values as a firm, and with this staggered approach we will be able to offer our intake the very best in-person training experience, even during these challenging times.”
The firm’s summer vacation scheme is also now taking place virtually.
