DLA Piper LLP (US) - The Inside View

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It might sound like strange advice to treat your OCIs just like you would a date. But look, we’ve all been there, stuck with someone you have little in common with, enduring the evening until the candle burns out. As one associate mused, “sometimes the humor can be off” or “you just don’t feel like you can be yourself.” But when the chemistry is there and the conversation flows, those butterfly feelings are hard to ignore. Indeed, as one wistful junior reflected: “Honestly for me it was the interview process. I connected with so many people, the interview at DLA was more free-flowing and I could tell the people were fun.” This was seconded by a fellow interviewee: “My DLA interview felt the most real. I didn’t feel I was getting a presentation that was geared towards giving me a certain impression of the firm.”

“My DLA interview felt the most real. I didn’t feel I was getting a presentation that was geared towards giving me a certain impression of the firm.”

Of course, it helps if they’re not just nice, but a catch too - and DLA is quite the catch. The firm picks up over 100 ranked departments in our sister guide Chambers USA, with the highest awards going to the firm’s corporate, investment funds, bankruptcy and restructuring, healthcare, IP, real estate and technology work (to name just a few.) Not bad for a firm only founded in 2005! Especially as DLA has collected a presence in over 40 countries globally in this short time, along with the 26 offices in the US alone - it really doesn’t get much bigger than that.As such, inter-office work forms the norm. That’s certainly what associates told us, dialing in from New York to Miami and Chicago to San Francisco!

Strategy & Future  

According to global managing partner Richard Chelsey, talent was a major focus, as the firm is boosting its summer cohorts and lateral hiring: “We’ve revamped our talent programs from the ground up – next year’s summer class will have 82 people, so we’re trying to leverage that new model and introduce them to the DLA Piper brand.” Practice wise, the firm now has five core sectors: technology, life sciences, healthcare, financial services, and energy & infrastructure, including renewables. Chelsey emphasizes that tech is a critical sector at DLA, sharing that “you can certainly expect that the tech will stay very, very strong and obviously with that will be AI. DLA Piper has one of the leading AI groups in the industry.” The firm is currently invested in its dual-faced AI initiatives: The development of internal tools for lawyers, and a dedicated AI team that supports their clients. Beyond that, Chelsey anticipates regulatory work will continue to be a key focus both domestically and internationally as many transactions continue to involve substantial regulatory elements.

The Work  

At DLA Piper, Practice groups are split into two distinct verticals: transactions and disputes. Most of the associates we talked to were in corporate and litigation, but we also spoke to those in real estate, IP & technology, and investment funds. Many interviewees mentioned they had worked across groups and with other offices thanks to the interconnectivity of the firm. Plus, there’s always a coordinator to dish out associate work.

Under the disputes umbrella is a range of practice groups such as patent litigation, international arbitration, government affairs, IP & technology, and employment. Litigation is a huge part of this area, covering everything from product liability in life sciences to national security issues like sanctions, trafficking, international compliance, AML, and anti-terrorism. Day-to-day, associates handle tasks like reviewing documents, drafting motions, preparing depositions, communicating directly with clients. They also got involved in presenting jury exercises and attended court instructions. In fact, one associate told us that “I’m treated more like a mid-level” as the work often includes drafting discoveries, draft witnesses, and motions to dismiss.

Disputes clients: British Airways, Goldman Sachs, Domino’s Pizza. Represented Pfizer in numerous consumer class action lawsuits in the New York federal court.

Over on the transactional side at DLA, the work involves private equity, M&A, real estate transactions, debt financing, and corporate transactions. Clients range from big portfolio firms to major banks and private creditors. The bulk of the work includes public company M&A, securities filings, proxy filings, registration statements, and maintenance reporting. Associates also mentioned doing “a little bit of EGBC work” and the occasional court appearance. We heard that juniors get a pretty wide range of experiences, so newbies recalled their days filled with research, writing, handling motions, preparing court hearings, drafting ancillaries, coordinating with closing, and ensuring documents get to the right parties. Responsibility kicks in early too. One associate recounted: “I found very early on I was getting more responsibility than I expected – I’ve never at all felt like a second or third year!”

Transactional clients: China Construction Bank, Allianz Global Investors, Whole Earth Brands. Represented Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) in a long-term private investment vehicle in its partnership and investment deal with Arctos Sport Partners, in which Arctos will acquire a minority stake in French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain.

Career Development  

Moving up at a firm can look different for everyone, but it all starts with solid training - and at DLA, associates felt in luck. “There are so many training opportunities” one explained, such as deposition training, trial practice, negotiations, and contract training. There are also development programs for every associate level, intensive workshops on skills like building client relations, and a mix of mandatory training and practice group-specific sessions such as webinars and training lunches. While the firm offers all of this formal and structured training, associates also benefit from the constant learning on the job: “People in my office including partners will convey things to me in their day-to-day behavior.”

“Deeply engage and show you’re interested in the work, and it’s amazing how much attention and professional guidance you’ll get.”

Nurturing junior associates proved a prevalent theme at DLA – as “people are encouraged to be good teachers” – so a degree of self-motivation can help a lot: “I find and have heard from motivated associates that it sometimes takes a bit of a self-start.” So, for those with drive and enthusiasm, the sky really is the limit: “I’ve been fortunate to receive good mentorship and proactive involvement from partners because I come in with curiosity and proposition, and so partners think – hey, this person really cares.” As such, sources recommended that newbies “deeply engage and show you’re interested in the work” as “it’s amazing how much attention and professional guidance you’ll get.” Plus, juniors also get an associate and partner advisor who is on hand to answer any questions, so while self-motivation goes a long way, there’s plenty of support to help associates succeed.

Naturally, many juniors we spoke to weren’t too focused on making partner just yet, so some mentioned that the process to making partner can be “a bit of a black box.” Some shared that they would “prefer some candid conversations on how to make partner.” Though others did share that “here it feels if you work hard and do good work you will get partner which is encouraging.” What's more, associates felt that the firm is making efforts on this front, particularly with its Catalyst initiative, which is “a year’s program associates are involved in where they get all the necessary training and mentoring to become partner,” as Chesley explains.

Hours & Compensation  

Billable hours: 2,000 target

DLA associates are given a target of 2,000 hours which is broken down into 1,850 hours of billables and 150 hours of additional activities like pro bono, business development, training, and recruitment. Sources felt this was a realistic target, some suggested this worked out as roughly a 9am-7pm schedule to achieve it, sometimes needing to log back on after dinner. Though, interviewees stressed that “people do not expect you to work weekends.” Though on the rare occasion it was sometimes necessary but kept “minimal.” DLA has upped its working policy recently to, with a newly mandated three-day per week in-office requirement.

Full disclaimer: “If you do not hit 2,000 hours, then you won’t get your full bonus,” declared one associate. Beyond those hours, interviewees were less certain as to how discretionary bonuses were distributed. Some described it as “opaque,” and weren’t quite sure how performance reviews were factored in. But others heard that there is a pro-rated bonus for every 100 hours beyond the initial 2,000 target.

Culture  

“We work together, we have common goals, but we laugh a lot too!”

“Everyone talks about how they love law, but what’s great is they love other things as well,” led one junior. In fact, “What really appealed to me was that people here don’t want their work to take over their lives,” they added.Sure, associates are expected to work hard at DLA, but insiders felt there was huge respect for their personal life too along with an “easy-going” vibe. One associate summed it up well: “We work together, we have common goals, but we laugh a lot too!” Particularly as “being new to law – things can be intimidating, but the people here are very accessible. It feels good and it feels supportive.” Sounds like quite the opposite to the common stereotypes about life in BigLaw! Don’t believe us? Ok, here’s some more reassurance: “People don’t scream at you here. Everyone recognizes that you’re in the trenches.” This was confirmed even by those who feared the worst: “there’s a high expectation of general kindness – I didn’t expect this and I actually had prepared to hate my life!”

“I’m sure there are different nuances and cultures in every office,” caveated one source. But most interviewees reassured us that the approach is consistent both nationally and internationally, which is no mean feat for a firm of its size. “We are a very connected firm where each office invests in its own community,” one insider surmised. To help build camaraderie, associates are assigned a buddy on a regular rotation. Newbies found this particularly helpful for building up a social life at the firm. “They’ll say this is your buddy for the month” one interviewee shared. “You can go with them for lunch or for coffee or just to chat through whatever you like.” On top of this, the firm organizes plenty of social events like dine-arounds, food drives, and various holiday parties throughout the year.

Pro Bono 

Pro bono is a given at many firms, but sources tell us DLA go just that bit extra. As one insider explained, “the emphasis on pro bono was big for me from the get-go.” Indeed, associates are expected to complete at least 60 hours of pro bono work as part of their 150 non-billable hours, though they’re free to do as much as they like beyond that. When it comes to billables, things are capped to 200. Though, if associates do manage to hit the sweet spot of 2,000 total hours with 200 hours of pro bono, we heard there is a good chance they will see a bonus.

Pro bono hours

  • For all US attorneys: 124,000
  • Average per US attorney: 66.4

Get Hired

The first stage: recruitment on and off campus  

“DLA Piper considers its summer associate program one of the most important initiatives the firm undertakes,” notes John Hamill, National Recruiting Partner. “We seek students who have demonstrated a high academic performance, relentless engagement in their chosen endeavors, and a willingness to engage in hard but rewarding work. We also look for strong records of accomplishment and leadership.” DLA Piper posts all of its summer associate positions to its website and invites students from any law school to apply.  

Lawyers from across DLA Piper’s offices participate in the initial interviews. “The firm has partners or teams of partners and associates (often alumni) conduct the initial interviews,” notes Stacy Silverstone, Chief Talent Acquisition Officer. Questions typically are designed to “allow us to go beyond the facts on a resume and discover and confirm the candidate’s abilities and talents, helping ensure candidates are evaluated equally.”  

Top tips for this stage:  

“Look for opportunities to engage with the Firm outside of formal interviews. For example, DLA Piper hosts DLA Piper Day in early January. This is an opportunity to see one of our offices and network with DLA Piper lawyers. We also host a variety of receptions around the country throughout the year.” – John Hamill, National Hiring Partner 

“We recruit based on the structure of our major practice groups. Candidates should find out as much about us and our practice areas as they can – through our website and social media, by speaking with our attorneys and alumni, and by asking their school career services office. We realize that deciding whether to interview with a firm or accept an offer is an important decision, so we want candidates to feel they have as much information as possible.” –Stacy Silverstone, Chief Talent Acquisition Officer 

“Our interviewers aim to get to know you beyond your resume. Focus on giving them a sense of life experiences that will help you be a successful lawyer and contributor to our firm.” – John Hamill, National Hiring Partner 

Callbacks  

The focus at this stage is on having candidates meet with members of the practice group in which they are interested and with lawyers in the geography in which they want to work. As with the initial interview, questions are often behavioral, as Silverstone tells us: “Our focus at this stage is really on getting as complete a picture of the candidates as we can.”  

Top tips for this stage:  

“Be authentic. The callback interview is a chance for us to get to know the candidates and for them to get to know us.” – John Hamill, National Hiring Partner 

Summer program  

Hamill says summer associates at DLA Piper “will participate in robust training programs that will enable them to gain new skills and experiences during the summer, in ways that their law schools typically do not afford them. Summer associates will have the opportunity to contribute to meaningful client projects across cutting-edge practices and sectors. They also will be encouraged to make devote significant time to pro bono work.”  Hamill stresses that “it is equally important that summer associates spend time socializing with each other and with lawyers in their office and practice group.”   

Silverstone tells us the firm “is invested in partnering with the summer associates to support their development during the summer and beyond.” Summer associates are assigned advisors, readers to review their written products, and work coordinators that round-out that support team.  

“The highlight of our program is our annual summer associate academy,” Hamilltells us. This two-and-a-half-day event brings together summer associates from around the country, giving them the chance to hear from and meet firm’s leaders, participate in training sessions, and build meaningful relationships that will last beyond the summer program. 

Top tips for this stage:  

“We encourage summer associates to engage with the summer program as much as possible. By that, we mean try to be present each day. Take advantage of opportunities for informal lunches and coffees. Seek out connections with lawyers, partners, and business professionals and participate fully in the training opportunities offered.” –Stacy Silverstone, Chief Talent Acquisition Officer 

And finally...  

Hamill says, “Throughout the interview stages, interviewers are looking for individuals who are driven by challenges and actively embrace a culture of collaboration and excellence.” 

DLA Piper LLP (US)

1251 Sixth Ave,
New York,
NY 10019
Website www.dlapiper.com

Main areas of work
From Global 1000 and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging technology disruptors and the public sector, DLA Piper works closely with businesses that are leading and redefining their industries. Practice areas include corporate, litigation and disputes, intellectual property and technology, private equity, finance, real estate, investment funds, regulatory and government affairs, tax, and employment.

Firm profile
DLA Piper is committed to excellence in representing its clients, developing its people, and serving its communities. With lawyers located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, the firm is positioned to help clients with legal needs around the world.

Recruitment
Law Schools attending for OCIs in 2024: Boston College, Boston Univ, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Emory, Fordham, Georgetown, Harvard, Northwestern, Notre Dame, NYU, Stanford, UCLA, Univ of Chicago, Univ of Georgia, Univ of Miami, Univ of Michigan, Univ of Pennsylvania, Univ of Southern California (USC), Univ of Texas, Univ of Virginia, Univ of Washington, Washington University in St. Louis

Recruitment outside OCIs: DLA Piper encourages interested students to apply online at Law Students | DLA Piper.

Summer associate profile: DLA Piper is looking for exceptional law students who are motivated to build their legal skills and gain insight into client needs. The firm values innovative, creative thinkers who thrive on challenge and value teamwork.

Summer program components: DLA Piper’s summer associates are part of a high-performance environment. Summer associates will be integrated into the firm’s core practice groups and supported by lawyers invested in their growth and development. Through various social and team-building activities, they will get to know each other, as well as the lawyers in their local offices and practice groups.

Summer associates will participate in vigorous training and development opportunities to acquire the skills they will need as they launch their careers, including a 2.5-day in-person event where they will hear from and meet DLA Piper’s senior leaders, participate in learning sessions, and make connections that will last beyond the summer. Training starts on day one and continues throughout the summer.

In addition, as part of the firm’s commitment to pro bono, summer associates will have the opportunity to participate in impactful community service activities and legal projects that may range from supporting our US veterans, to advocating for children, to helping nonprofits and small businesses.

Social media:
Recruitment website: https://www.dlapiper.com/en-us/careers
Linkedin: dla-piper
Twitter: @DLA_piper
Facebook: DLAPiperGlobal
Instagram: @dlapiper

This Firm's Rankings in
USA Guide, 2024

Ranked Departments

    • Corporate/M&A (Band 1)
    • Antitrust (Band 4)
    • Capital Markets: Debt & Equity (Band 4)
    • Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation (Band 4)
    • Intellectual Property: Patent Prosecution (Band 3)
    • Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets (Band 2)
    • Labor & Employment: The Elite (Band 4)
    • Life Sciences (Band 3)
    • Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded (Band 1)
    • Media & Entertainment: Transactional (Band 4)
    • Outsourcing (Band 2)
    • Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Band 3)
    • Technology (Band 2)
    • Venture Capital (Band 2)
    • Real Estate (Band 3)
    • Tax (Band 3)
    • Corporate/M&A (Band 2)
    • Corporate/M&A: Highly Regarded (Band 1)
    • Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Band 3)
    • Real Estate (Band 4)
    • Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Band 2)
    • Corporate/M&A & Private Equity (Band 3)
    • Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Band 4)
    • Healthcare (Band 5)
    • Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets (Band 1)
    • Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded (Band 1)
    • Real Estate (Band 1)
    • Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite (Band 1)
    • Healthcare (Band 2)
    • Corporate/M&A & Private Equity (Band 4)
    • Construction (Band 3)
    • Corporate/M&A (Band 3)
    • Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Band 3)
    • Corporate/M&A & Private Equity (Band 3)
    • Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Band 3)
    • Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory (Band 2)
    • Intellectual Property (Band 2)
    • Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets (Band 1)
    • Labor & Employment: Highly Regarded (Band 1)
    • Litigation: General Commercial (Band 3)
    • Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Band 4)
    • Real Estate (Band 1)
    • Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Band 1)
    • Construction (Band 2)
    • Corporate/M&A (Band 1)
    • Litigation: General Commercial (Band 1)
    • Real Estate (Band 2)
    • Corporate/M&A (Band 3)
    • Intellectual Property (Band 5)
    • Real Estate (Band 1)
    • Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Band 2)
    • Tax (Band 3)
    • Corporate/M&A (Band 3)
    • Corporate/M&A (Band 2)
    • Bankruptcy/Restructuring: The Elite (Band 5)
    • Corporate/M&A: Highly Regarded (Band 3)
    • Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer (Band 3)
    • Labor & Employment: Highly Regarded (Band 1)
    • Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded (Band 4)
    • Litigation: Securities (Band 5)
    • Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations: Highly Regarded (Band 2)
    • Real Estate: Mainly Corporate & Finance (Band 4)
    • Real Estate: Mainly Dirt (Band 3)
    • Tax (Band 4)
    • Corporate/M&A & Private Equity (Band 4)
    • Litigation: General Commercial (Band 3)
    • Intellectual Property (Band 4)
    • Labor & Employment (Band 5)
    • Technology: Corporate & Commercial (Band 1)
    • Corporate/M&A (Band 1)
    • Bankruptcy/Restructuring: Highly Regarded (Band 2)
    • Cannabis Law (Band 3)
    • Capital Markets: Securitization: CLOs (Band 3)
    • Construction (Band 5)
    • Corporate Crime & Investigations: Highly Regarded (Band 2)
    • Corporate/M&A: Highly Regarded (Band 1)
    • E-Discovery & Information Governance (Band 2)
    • Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Band 5)
    • FCPA (Band 5)
    • Food & Beverages: Regulatory & Litigation (Band 3)
    • Franchising (Band 1)
    • Government Contracts: The Elite (Band 3)
    • Government Relations: Federal (Band 3)
    • Healthcare: Highly Regarded (Band 2)
    • Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer (Band 3)
    • Intellectual Property (Band 3)
    • Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets (Band 2)
    • International Arbitration: The Elite (Band 4)
    • International Trade: Intellectual Property (Section 337) (Band 2)
    • Investment Funds: Investor Representation (Band 1)
    • Labor & Employment (Band 5)
    • Leisure & Hospitality (Band 3)
    • Life Sciences (Band 4)
    • Mining & Metals (Band 2)
    • Outsourcing (Band 2)
    • Privacy & Data Security: The Elite (Band 2)
    • Private Equity: Buyouts: Mid-Market (Band 3)
    • Private Equity: Fund Formation (Band 4)
    • Product Liability & Mass Torts: The Elite (Band 2)
    • Real Estate (Band 2)
    • REITs (Band 3)
    • Retail (Band 1)
    • Sports Law (Band 2)
    • Startups & Emerging Companies (Band 2)
    • State Attorneys General (Band 3)
    • Tax: Controversy (Band 4)
    • Tax: Corporate & Finance (Band 5)
    • Technology (Band 2)
    • Corporate/M&A (Band 1)
    • Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Band 1)
    • Corporate/M&A (Band 2)
    • Litigation: General Commercial (Band 3)
    • Tax (Band 2)

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