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.

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.

Our Dublin Trainee Solicitor Programme offers an immersive journey into legal practice with a focus on hands-on experience through seat rotations, tailored electives, and comprehensive support.

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.

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.

There will also be opportunities for international and client secondments during your time at the firm, these will be subject to availability, business needs, performance and eligibility.

Our Trainee Solicitor Programme marks the first stage in your journey from lawyer to leader.

Innovation

Here at Dentons, innovation isn’t something that sits in isolation – we believe it comes from everywhere and from everyone, and it is critical to our position as the world’s largest global law firm.

We do this by challenging ourselves to identify and implement innovation across all areas of service delivery to our clients.

We have created a highly bespoke programme for our trainees, to enhance their knowledge around legal innovation and digital transformation. At every seat rotation, each trainee will undertake an innovation project, and with the help of their designated Innovation Training Scheme supervisor, and Innovation team, will create a project based on one of the following categories: AI (Machine Learning), Document Automation, Design Thinking, RPA (Robotic Process Automation), Data Visualization or a Business Case. These projects, not only help to broaden trainees’ understanding of legal innovation, but also help us to identify and address innovation gaps within the firm.

See here for further information on how we help our clients innovate in different ways.

Resilience

On the journey from lawyer to leader, we recognise that a career in law is a constantly changing environment, providing new challenges every day.

We can help create a culture of openness and support by providing people with the tools they need to thrive and build resilience. Group workshops and one-to-one sessions are designed to support you through this transition, and open doors for you to become the lawyer of the future.

Legal Project Management

Great lawyers can understand how everything fits together, from managing projects profitably to really getting under the skin of our clients and their businesses. It’s not just about knowing; it’s understanding what they stand for and using that insight to inform your approach. In an ever more complex legal world, more is expected from the modern lawyer who needs to wear ‘two hats’ as both a lawyer and a project manager.

During the programme you will be provided with in – depth project management training which will include the principles of leadership, teamwork, quality and risk management, scope management and much more. You will also be introduced to the Legal Project Management toolkit which will equip you with the skills and resources that you need to thrive, both during your Trainee Solicitor Programme and beyond.

Following a detailed induction, and on top of our new modernised training modules, each seat comes with bespoke training and development, to give you the tools to succeed.

Alongside this trainee specific training, you’ll have access to our market leading programme of development sessions, and our online suite of virtual training courses. Whether you’d like a refresher on the basics, fine tune your networking skills, build your personal brand or improve your efficiency at work, there will be a course for you.

Our talent team will be with you throughout, helping you think of the bigger picture when it comes to your career.

Support is something that underpins your experience throughout your Trainee Solicitor Programme at Dentons.

You will have a dedicated supervisor for each seat, who will be a constant point of guidance, helping you define your career.

You will also have support from your trainee peers, who are encouraged to become active members of our diversity networks, social committee and Pro Bono teams, forging strong professional networks right across the firm.

Finally, our award-winning Early Careers team will also always be available to you, to discuss everything from seat moves and secondments, to trainee social events.

• FE1 and PPC Fees
• Life assurance
• Health and dental insurance
• Wellbeing contribution
• 24 annual leave days
• Pension scheme
• Income protection
• Access to well-being resources
• Dublin first year trainee salary €45,000

Eligibility

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.

Application Window

Applications will open on 20 September 2024 and close on 22 November 2024. To access the application form, please click the ‘Apply‘ button on the top bar.

Please review our FAQs before you start your application.

Not ready to apply to the direct Trainee Solicitor Programme just yet? Apply to attend our Dublin Insight Event in January 2025 to get a glimpse into life at Dentons through interactions with our Partners, Associates and Early Careers Team. Or have a look at our 2025 Dublin Summer Vacation Scheme for a two-week work experience at our Dublin office.

In the meantime, sign up to Dentons.Next Talent to gain exclusive access to webinars, workshops and receive reminders of future events and opportunities.