Survey Results - Trainee feedback on Hill Dickinson
Survey Results - Trainee feedback on
The lowdown - Trainees (in their own words) on Hill Dickinson
Why did you choose this firm over any others? ‘Its reputation in shipping’, ‘good culture’, Liverpool is the HQ, which is rather unique. Also the internal culture, the focus on building client relationships and the internal networking’, ‘its local reputation’, ‘the reputation within the health sector’, ‘I was employed before starting so I knew what the culture, work and opportunities were like’, ‘the smaller number of trainees and the fact that it’s a mid-size firm which can compete with the best’, ‘its reputation and opportunities for growth and progression’
Best thing about the firm? ‘It’s down to earth and has a good work/life culture, approachable partners, and a multi-city presence’, ‘the people’, ‘the culture’, ‘it has very approachable peers and partners, combined with great hands-on experience, and complex and interesting work’, ‘the internal culture and support, as well as the clients we have’, ‘the staff and the culture of working together’, ‘the community feel’, ‘the learning and development opportunities (both legal and non-legal)’
Worst thing about the firm? ‘The pay’, ‘the pay, and the HR processes seem rather disconnected’, ‘the lack of consistency between teams, even within the same department’, ‘work/life balance is a key selling point of the firm and, generally, it is better than its competitors but some seats have better balances than others’, ‘the pay for juniors vs the working expectations’
Best moment? ‘Managing a dispute worth over £500,000 under supervision’, ‘attending the Supreme Court’, a conference with leading and junior counsel on a complex case before the High Court’, ‘some of the cases I worked on in my litigation seat, and the internal support’, ‘interviewing a client before drafting a witness statement where I questioned a client’s account of events, ‘attending court for a trial we worked on’
Worst moment? ‘Preparing bundles late at night’, ‘the pressure of obtaining a seat of preference in a large cohort’, ‘feeling rather isolated and out of my depth at times’, ‘the SQE’, ‘receiving negative feedback on work I had put a lot of effort into’, ‘doing the SQE!’
The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on Hill Dickinson
If you’re an aspiring lawyer looking to train in the north, Hill Dickinson, with its offices in Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle has you covered. The national firm (which also has a London office) is well known for its reputation in shipping and health and is seen as a ‘mid-sized firm which can compete with the best’. Some trainees had already worked at the firm as paralegals and had been ‘convinced by the culture, work and opportunities’ available. Depending on their location, recruits benefit from a ‘tailored training contract’, which is geared towards health, maritime or business services. Trainees appreciate having ‘good contact with the grad rec team who are very receptive, selfless and help to structure the training programme’. A ‘people-oriented firm’, everyone, from front desk to management, is ‘genuinely invested in your development and growth’. There aren’t many drawbacks to working at Hill Dickinson, but a ‘lack of consistency between teams, even within the same department’, and the pay, which is considered to be ‘lower than that of competitors’ are annoyances. That aside, Hill Dickinson recruits enjoy an ideal balance of ‘direct input on high value disputes, which is rare at the trainee stage’, such as ‘attending court frequently’, and ‘a more relaxed culture, with less stringent expectations and a good understanding from colleagues and seniors of what being a trainee is’. ‘There is no pressure to be the last one in the office’ here! For ‘complex and interesting work’ in a northern firm with a ‘down-to-earth culture’ where ‘everyone works together’, take a closer look at Hill Dickinson.
About the firm
The firm: Hill Dickinson LLP is a leading international commercial law firm employing over 1,000 people, including more than 200 partners and legal directors. The firm operates across the UK, Europe and South East Asia, in Birmingham, Hong Kong, Leeds, Limassol, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Monaco, Newcastle, Piraeus and Singapore.
CEO: Craig Scott
Chair: Jonathan Brown
Other offices: Birmingham, Hong Kong, Leeds, Limassol, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Monaco, Newcastle, Piraeus and Singapore.
Who we are: 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.
What we do: We are a longstanding provider of legal services to the health sector and home to one of the legal world’s largest and most respected maritime and shipping practices.
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.
What we’re looking for: At Hill Dickinson, we’re not looking for a ‘typical’ candidate. If you’re passionate about law, driven to learn and eager to build a lasting career with us, we want to hear from you!
If you’re looking to start your legal career at Hill Dickinson, you’ll need to show strong communication skills, the capacity to manage multiple projects, and a passion for analysing information to create innovative client solutions. We’re seeking commercially minded individuals who thrive on building trusted relationships.
As a leading commercial law firm, we count on our people to be in tune with our clients’ needs and to understand exactly how to deliver on them.
A note on equality, diversity and inclusion: 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 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.
What you’ll do: 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.
Perks: 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.
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.
Sponsorship
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.
Seat options
Liverpool – business services, health.
Manchester – business services, health.
London – business services, health.
Leeds – business services, health.
Birmingham – business services.
Newcastle – health.
Seat options for each route: business services – banking; commercial dispute resolution; commercial, TMT and IP; construction; corporate; education and ecclesiastical; employment; family; pensions; private client; real estate; real estate finance; real estate litigation; regulatory.
Health – employment NHS; health litigation; health real estate; healthcare and public law; healthcare commercial; primary care,
Marine – cargo and logistics; commodities; PI and regulatory; shipping; yachts.
Tips from the recruiter
- Do your homework – a successful application is all about being the right fit, on both sides. What are you looking for in a potential employer? Set some criteria and research how we do things at Hill Dickinson.
- Be sure Hill Dickinson is the right firm for you – we want applicants to really get to know us first before they decide to apply. Events are a great opportunity to do this.
- Make your first impression a good one – take your time on all questions make sure your make full use of the word count. Take some time away from your application and reread before you submit. Or ask a friend to check over it for you.
Diversity and Inclusion
Percentage of female associates: 72%
Percentage of female partners: 33%
Percentage of BAME associates: 14%
Percentage of BAME partners: 6%