International firm Dentons is to introduce a modernised training contract with a focus on project management, which will turn trainees into ‘commercially and technically savvy business advisers’.

From September, trainees will study legal project management, legal technology and resilience, and their supervisors will be taught about Dentons values and ‘the importance of working together’. The updated training contract will cover project management, AI, smart contracts, mental health and wellbeing, and commercial awareness skills.

The firm – which recently released a recruitment video showing young rock climbers, graffiti artists, drummers, free runners and boxers – has asked for ‘challengers’ to apply for its scheme. It said: ‘There is an ever greater need to manage matters more efficiently and apply new approaches to delivering legal services as clients increasingly need their advisers to work to challenging deadlines with tight budgets.’

Trainee partner Nigel Webber said: 'We are ambitious about making Dentons the best place for lawyers to develop into commercially and technically savvy business advisers who are also emotionally intelligent and inclusive.'

Firms are increasingly keen to instil commercial awareness in their recruits. In December, magic circle firm Clifford Chance announced a non-legal internship scheme for its future trainees. Students on the programme work for two months in non-legal industries such as marketing, data analytics and coding in order to get 'first-hand business experience'.