Hill Dickinson LLP is 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, in Birmingham, Hong Kong, Leeds, Limassol, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Monaco, Newcastle, Piraeus and Singapore.
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.
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.
Opportunities
There are a variety of ways that you can begin your career in law. Choosing the right route for you is an essential first step and you need a firm that supports your ambitions.
Training contracts
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 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 specialist 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.
Insight days
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 – our version of a vacation scheme.
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.
Open evenings
An open evening is the perfect opportunity for you to get to know what life at Hill Dickinson is like and will help you decide what the right route into a career in law is for you.
We’re hosting open days in our Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, and London offices in December 2025.
The training contract open evening includes a panel event with our key practice areas in each of our locations, followed by networking with our speakers, trainees and early careers team.
For those interested in apprenticeship opportunities, we’re also hosting a virtual apprenticeship open evening in January 2026.
The apprenticeship open evening provides an insight into the apprenticeship opportunities available for September 2026, a session with our current apprentices and an opportunity for questions with our apprentices and early careers team.
And if you decide we’re the right firm for you? You’ll have the opportunity to find out more about our application process too.
Our open days are exactly that – open to anyone, at any stage of their education or career. To get involved, simply complete your application during the window:
· Training contract open evenings: 1 October – 14 November 2025
· Apprenticeship open evening (virtual): 1 October 2025 – 16 January 2026
Spots on our open days are limited and allocated based on the strength of your application, so if you’d like to join us make sure you register as soon as possible.
SQE
Our SQE programme 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, as well as provide a maintenance grant for while you study. Join us and embark on your career in law.
If you’re offered a training contract and haven’t started the LPC, you’ll follow our SQE route to qualification.
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 LPC and PSC route.
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 review every application before making any decisions.
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 the REALrating contextual recruitment tool which accounts for the context in which your grades 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.
