What are the DLA Piper tests?

DLA Piper's hiring tests are designed to evaluate a candidate's legal knowledge, analytical ability, and problem-solving skills. They likely include scenario-based questions that reflect real situations you might encounter while working at a global law firm.

Are the DLA Piper tests hard?

The difficulty of DLA Piper's tests can be subjective, varying from one individual to another. However, they are meant to challenge candidates and identify those who are well-prepared and demonstrate strong potential for meeting the demands of a legal career in an international context.

How do I prepare for DLA Piper tests?

Preparing for DLA Piper tests is all about practice. Familiarize yourself with the test formats and question types by taking advantage of the broad array of practice tests on Law Tests. The more you practice, the more confidently you can tackle the real thing.

How long does the recruitment process take at DLA Piper?

The recruitment process at DLA Piper varies by position and location, but it typically involves several stages including tests, interviews, and assessments. It can range from several weeks to a few months. Preparation and patience are key during this time.

What are DLA Piper's core values?

DLA Piper's core values reflect their commitment to supporting clients and communities through integrity, diversity, collaboration, and excellence. These values are foundational to their approach in the legal sector and provide a guiding framework for their global team.

DLA Piper Assessments

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Application process

Online Application
Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test
Telephone Interview
Assessment Centre

About DLA Piper

DLA Piper is a global law firm. Formed as the result of the merger of UK-based DLA LLP and USA-based Piper Rudnick in 2005, but its origins can be traced back to the 1800s. It now has 90 offices in 40 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and the Americas. There are around 2,400 attorneys working for DLA Piper and it has eight practice groups: corporate, tax, finance, real estate, intellectual property, litigation, and restructuring.

The company has strong ethics and values, focusing on responsible and innovative legal solutions. In 2019, its attorneys donated over 20,000 hours of pro bono work, particularly in the areas of rights for children; access to justice; and assisting refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless people.

DLA Piper Application Process

DLA Piper uses a strength-based application process for their early careers recruitment. This is designed to identify diverse candidates who have a real passion for law and developing a lifelong career in the industry.

Apply online
Watson Glaser critical thinking assessment
Telephone interview
Assessment day

DLA Piper Online Application

The online application consists of uploading basic information and your CV. Make sure that this displays your most relevant experience, achievements, and strengths, as you are not asked to give in a cover letter to support your CV. There are no specific academic requirements to apply for DLA as they want to hear from people from all kinds of backgrounds.

There is also a commercial awareness question, which asks you to demonstrate your understanding of the industry, recent developments, and in particular, DLA Piper's aims and achievements. This will show the recruiters your knowledge of how the industry works, where it is heading, and DLA's position within it.

DLA Piper Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test

The aptitude test given by DLA Piper is the Watson Glaser critical thinking test. Everyone who completes an online application is invited to take this assessment as it measures vital skills for lawyers such as critical thinking and logic processing.

There are five main facets of critical thinking that the test assesses:

Recognising assumptions
Making deductions
Coming to conclusions
Making correct inferences
Evaluating arguments

Together, these provide a more nuanced look into how you think and approach complex situations. Successful lawyers require strong problem-solving skills, critical analysis, and interpretation of data, which are all tested through this assessment and shows your true potential.

DLA Piper Telephone Interview

If you have applied for a Solicitor or Paralegal apprenticeship, then you will be invited for a phone interview. This is to find out more about you and why you are applying for the apprenticeship.

To prepare for this, make sure that you have researched the company and apprenticeship thoroughly. DLA Piper encourage all those with a passion for law to apply for their schemes, however, you need to demonstrate why they should take you on.

This stage does not apply to the graduate programme or the summer internship.

DLA Piper Assessment Day

The assessment centre is the final stage in the application process. During this day-long event, you will have to take part in three different activities, which all further demonstrate your skills and personality to the recruiters.

DLA Piper Partner Interview

This is a strength-based interview, usually with a firm partner. They will ask you questions about your experiences, achievements, and why you want to work for DLA. Get to know your CV well and try to relate your experiences to the role at DLA, showing how you have a unique perspective and why you would be an asset to the company. This is also your best chance to show your personality, so don't be afraid to build rapport and trust your gut.

DLA Piper Analysis Presentation

For the analysis presentation, you will be given a pack of information about a fictional company and an hour to read this, then devise a future strategy based on this company, which you will present. This is all to see how well you filter information, your commercial understanding, and business acumen. The presentation will be 10 minutes, with a further five minutes for questions.

DLA Piper Group Exercise

For the group exercise you are given 15 minutes to read through all the information, then 40 minutes to discuss with the group. The most common advice for this exercise is to remember they are assessing your teamwork skills here and therefore, are looking at those who include others, listen and respond thoughtfully, and do not dominate the task. However, also try to let your personality and experiences come through, especially if you can provide real-life examples from similar cases.

Jump to a section on this page:

About DLA Piper
DLA Piper Application Process
DLA Piper Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test
DLA Piper Assessments Sample Questions
DLA Piper Assessments Tips
DLA Piper Assessments FAQs

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Sample DLA Piper Assessments question Test your knowledge!

Score: /5

A legal document analysis software has processed 750 pages in 3 minutes. How many pages per second is this, on average?

3.33 pages per second
4.17 pages per second
5 pages per second
250 pages per second

During a contract negotiation, if the initial contract price is $150,000 and it is agreed that the price will decrease by 2% each month for the entire year, what would be the contact price after one year?

$132, 294
$140,000
$130,000
$135,000

In a legal setting, how might new legislation that requires additional compliance procedures be categorized?

An opportunity for new business ventures.
A threat to current processes and time management.
A neutral event with no significant impact.
An operational challenge requiring adaptation.

A law firm is evaluating the logic of a conclusion reached by an opposing party in a case. If all premises of the argument are true, which factor would be most crucial in determining the validity of the conclusion?

The expertise of the person who made the conclusion.
Whether the conclusion follows logically from the premises.
The number of premises.
The moral considerations involved in the argument.

A client brings a mechanical toy to a legal consultation, suspecting patent infringement. The toy includes gears which increase the speed of the wheels. Which mechanical principle would you expect the gears to follow?

For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction.
The wheels turn faster as the gear ratio decreases.
Magnetic fields induce the wheels to move faster.
Friction between the gears and axles decreases the wheel speed.

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DLA Piper Assessments Tips

Understand the Law Firm Culture: Grasp the essence of DLA Piper's global reach and its evolution since the 1800s. Acknowledging the firm's culture can give added context to the types of skills and knowledge they value.
Review Legal Concepts: Ensure you have a strong grasp of fundamental legal principles that may form the basis of the test questions. The broader your understanding, the better equipped you'll be to answer a range of inquiries.
Practice Time Management: These tests can be time-sensitive, so practicing under timed conditions can help you improve your speed and accuracy under pressure.
Leverage Free Practice Tests: Did you know you can take practice tests just like DLA Piper's own exams right here on Law Tests for free? It's an excellent way to familiarize yourself with the format and types of questions you might encounter.
Stay Updated: DLA Piper, being a legacy firm with a contemporary outlook, might incorporate current events into their questioning. Keep abreast of recent legal developments to give your answers a cutting-edge relevance.

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DLA Piper Assessments FAQs

What are the DLA Piper tests?: DLA Piper's hiring tests are designed to evaluate a candidate's legal knowledge, analytical ability, and problem-solving skills. They likely include scenario-based questions that reflect real situations you might encounter while working at a global law firm.
Are the DLA Piper tests hard?: The difficulty of DLA Piper's tests can be subjective, varying from one individual to another. However, they are meant to challenge candidates and identify those who are well-prepared and demonstrate strong potential for meeting the demands of a legal career in an international context.
How do I prepare for DLA Piper tests?: Preparing for DLA Piper tests is all about practice. Familiarize yourself with the test formats and question types by taking advantage of the broad array of practice tests on Law Tests. The more you practice, the more confidently you can tackle the real thing.
How long does the recruitment process take at DLA Piper?: The recruitment process at DLA Piper varies by position and location, but it typically involves several stages including tests, interviews, and assessments. It can range from several weeks to a few months. Preparation and patience are key during this time.
What are DLA Piper's core values?: DLA Piper's core values reflect their commitment to supporting clients and communities through integrity, diversity, collaboration, and excellence. These values are foundational to their approach in the legal sector and provide a guiding framework for their global team.