We are a leading international commercial law firm employing over 1000 people, including more than 200 partners and legal directors. The firm operates across the UK, Europe and South East Asia, delivering 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. 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.

The firm advises clients on bringing a product to market, raising capital, leasing premises, drawing up employment contracts, protecting assets, incorporating and merging businesses. The firm also supports clients through during commercial disputes and contentious matters.

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.

To find out what it is like to work at Hill Dickinson, read the firm's Meet the Lawyer profile. 

We offer insight days across our UK offices to give you the opportunity to see what life is really like at Hill Dickinson. 

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. 

We will also be hosting open days in our Liverpool, London, Manchester and Leeds offices in November and December 2024. 

Our open day is a great opportunity to get to know the firm better and will be invaluable in helping you decide which training contract you would like to apply for. However, our open day is open to anyone at any stage of their education or career – whether you will be applying in the future or are just beginning to explore a career in law. 

The open day will include opportunities to attend sessions with our trainees, understand what a career in law really involves, and, if you decide we’re the firm for you, how to get the most out of your applications. 

Our unique solicitor 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. This team of partners, legal directors and senior associates from across our business groups is on hand to support you. They’ll 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. 

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.

Our 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.

Having a clear diversity and inclusion agenda helps us empower our people, who in turn drive the culture we have worked over many years to achieve.

Our culture is a people thing, based on trust, respect and mutual support. We want everyone who works at Hill Dickinson to be themselves, to feel comfortable within an environment that celebrates their individuality, knowing their voice is heard and confident that we support their aspirations and goals no matter what their background or identity.

Our ED&I policies are embedded across the firm, with clear board-level commitment. In practice, we’re a firm that promotes our values in everything we do and where we encounter unacceptable behaviours we actively challenge them in order to shape a fully inclusive culture.

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.

We have adopted the SQE route via a graduate apprenticeship for all future trainees, meaning we will cover the cost of your programme and exam fees and you will receive an apprentice salary while you study. 

• Business services group:
• Banking
• Commercial dispute resolution
• Commercial
• TMT & IP
• Construction
• Corporate
• Education & ecclesiastical
• Employment
• Family
• Pensions
• Private client
• Real estate
• Real estate finance
• Real estate litigation
• Regulatory
• Restructuring
• Tax
• Financial services
• Health:
• Employment NHS
• Health litigation
• Health real estate
• Healthcare
• public law
• Healthcare commercial
• Primary care
• Marine:
• Cargo & logistics
• Commodities
• PI & regulatory
• Shipping
• Yachts

• Corporate & Commercial
• General Commercial
• Niche

• Birmingham
• Hong Kong
• Leeds
• Limassol
• Liverpool
• London
• Manchester
• Monaco
• Newcastle
• Piraeus
• Singapore

• #10000BlackInterns
• Action Tutoring
• Aspiring Solicitors
• Black Solicitors Network
• Bright Network
• Mindful Business Charter
• The Women in Law Pledge
• upReach
• Working Families