Hill Dickinson LLP
No. 1 St Paul’s Square,
Liverpool,
L3 9SJ
Website www.hilldickinson.com
Firm profile
We deliver advice and strategic guidance spanning the full legal spectrum, broadly organised into three main client groups: business services, health and marine. We advise businesses, organisations and individuals across the globe and from a wide range of market sectors, including specialisms in health and marine, on non-contentious advisory and transactional work, through to all forms of commercial litigation and arbitration.
Main areas of work
We advise clients on bringing a product to market, raising capital, leasing premises, drawing up employment contracts, protecting assets, incorporating and merging businesses. We also support clients during commercial disputes and contentious matters.
Our clients include multinational companies, major corporations, the NHS, UK plcs, UK and foreign banks, financial institutions, public sector bodies, investors, educational establishments, institutions, private individuals and professional bodies.
Training opportunities
We believe that aligning your legal career to a sector you’re truly passionate about is the key to becoming a great lawyer. Our unique training contracts give you the flexibility to shape your own experience and gain invaluable, first-hand experience in one of our three business groups: Business Services, Health or Marine.
Our training contracts offer you the opportunity to do four, six-month seats over the course of the two years, with opportunities based in Liverpool, Manchester, London, Leeds, Newcastle and Birmingham.
During each six-month seat, you’ll have two reviews with our dedicated trainee committee, who will monitor your progress, offer advice and help you grow.
Beyond your legal training in each seat, we’ve designed a special trainee development programme to boost your business skills and personal and professional growth. These bi-monthly sessions give you the foundation you need to build your career, connect you with your fellow trainees and take a holistic, person-centred approach to your training.
Our trainee community is encouraging and always on hand to share advice and guidance.
Vacation scheme
Other benefits
We regularly review our benefits to ensure that they are both competitive and relevant to our people, however at present these include pension, travel insurance, buying and selling holiday entitlement, permanent health insurance and life assurance, bike to work, season ticket loans, BUPA cover and we’ll even give you your birthday off (paid). We are also pleased to have signed an exclusive partnership with the University of Law to deliver a tailored, block-release graduate solicitor apprenticeship programme for the SQE.
This means that we will cover the cost of your programme and exam fees, all while paying you a salary while you study.
The programme will incorporate all aspects pf SQE 1 and 2, as well as our sector focused ‘Hill Dickinson Plus’ programme, designed to prepare you for your chosen practice group.
Training opportunities
We believe that aligning your legal career to a sector you’re truly passionate about is the key to becoming a great lawyer. Our unique training contracts give you the flexibility to shape your own experience and gain invaluable, first-hand experience in one of our three business groups: Business Services, Health or Marine.
Our training contracts offer you the opportunity to do four, six-month seats over the course of the two years, with opportunities based in Liverpool, Manchester, London, Leeds, Newcastle and Birmingham.
During each six-month seat, you’ll have two reviews with our dedicated trainee committee, who will monitor your progress, offer advice and help you grow.
Beyond your legal training in each seat, we’ve designed a special trainee development programme to boost your business skills and personal and professional growth. These bi-monthly sessions give you the foundation you need to build your career, connect you with your fellow trainees and take a holistic, person-centred approach to your training.
Our trainee community is encouraging and always on hand to share advice and guidance.
Apprenticeships
The paralegal apprenticeship is a two-year programme that gives you the chance to start your legal career without going to university. You’ll spend those two years specialising in one practice area, which we’ll align with your interests and strengths.
You’ll complete modules in Client Care, Contract Law and Commercial Practice, and at the end of your two years you will have achieved a Certificate of Higher Education in Law and Legal Practice.
When you’ve completed your paralegal apprenticeship, there will be a number of career progression opportunities available to you, including paralegal roles within our team, the solicitor apprenticeship and further CILEx studies.
Vacation scheme
Want to see what it’s really like to work as a trainee solicitor at Hill Dickinson? Join us for an insight day at one of our UK offices.
During the day, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at the business group you’re interested in. You’ll meet the teams, complete practical tasks and hear from our current trainees about their experiences working across different sectors.
You’ll also get the opportunity to get a feel for our friendly and welcoming culture.
Trainees in our northern offices start on £30,000, and £43,000 in London, both increasing in the second year of the training contract.
As you finish your contract, take some time to recharge with our qualification leave policy to help you prepare for your new career as a qualified solicitor in your chosen practice area.
Other benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits to support your personal and professional life – which we always review to make sure they suit our people – including a well-deserved birthday off! Head to our benefits page for more details on our competitive perks.
SQE
Our graduate solicitor apprenticeship offers our trainee solicitors the opportunity to learn from our senior associates and partners, benefit from their experience, while still earning a competitive salary.
We’ll cover the cost of your Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) programme and exam fees, so you can focus on your studies.
We’ve worked with the University of Law to design a tailored SQE programme that ensures you get the best start to your legal career and are prepared for the significant responsibilities you’ll have as a qualified solicitor.
If you’re offered a training contract and haven’t started the LPC, you’ll follow our graduate solicitor apprenticeship route.
If you’re already studying for the SQE, we can discuss how to integrate your studies with our programme.
If you’ve completed or are currently studying for the LPC, you can still apply and follow the traditional LPC and PSC route.
University law careers fairs 2024
Please visit our website for further details.
Diversity, inclusion and wellbeing
We value a diverse workforce and are committed to recruiting the best talent from across all backgrounds. Our Early Careers team carefully reviews every application before making the decision to offer a placement.
Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) are at the heart of our values and firmwide culture. That’s why we ensure every step of the recruitment process is unbiased, with decisions based purely on merit.
We also know that achievements don’t always look the same on paper, so instead of setting minimum academic requirements, we proudly use a contextual recruitment system to consider your accomplishments within the bigger picture in which they were achieved. That way, your talents and potential remain at the centre of the selection process.
We’re proud to be partner with Aspiring Solicitors, the 10,000 Interns Foundation and Bright Network. These organisations share our commitment to advancing EDI and nurturing exceptional talent from all backgrounds.