Hill Dickinson
Overview
Hill Dickinson is a long-established, full-service commercial law firm with particularly strong roots in the North West of England and an international footprint in key shipping and commercial hubs. The firm combines sector-focused teams (notably marine/shipping, healthcare, financial services and professional services) with partner-led delivery and a clear emphasis on practical, commercially minded advice. Its history stretches back to the early 19th century and the firm positions itself as a client-focused adviser that brings senior experience to transactional and dispute-led work across the UK and internationally.
- Headquarters: Liverpool
- Founded: 1810
- Trainees: 30
- Offices: 12
Values & Culture
Practice Areas
- Corporate & M&A
- Banking & Finance
- Real Estate
- Employment
- Pensions
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
- Shipping & Maritime
- Financial Services & Regulation
- Regulatory & Compliance
- Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Technology & Digital
- Insurance & Reinsurance
- Insolvency & Restructuring
- Public Law
- Private Client & Wealth
- Construction & Engineering
- Transport & Logistics
- Data Protection & Privacy
- Tax
Geographic Focus: Strong UK coverage with a particular strength in the North West (Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds) and a City presence in London. Internationally the firm focuses on shipping and maritime hubs (Hong Kong, Singapore, Piraeus and Monaco) and has an office in Limassol, supporting cross-border shipping, trade, commodities and related dispute work. The firm operates as a UK-headquartered national practice with targeted international offices aligned to sector needs (notably marine/trade and cross‑juror
Training Contract
Two-year training contract comprising four six-month seats. Trainees are placed within one of three business groups (Business Services, Health or Marine) and can be based in Liverpool, Manchester, London (City), Leeds, Newcastle or Birmingham. During each seat trainees have two reviews with the dedicated trainee committee (partners, legal directors and senior associates). A structured trainee development programme runs bi-monthly and supplements seat-based legal training with commercial and personal development sessions. Trainees are encouraged to engage with corporate responsibility, diversity groups and firm business development activities.
- Starting Salary: Year 1: £43,000; Year 2: £45,000. (Careers pages additionally reference northern office starting figures of £31,000 and London starting figures of £44,000 with increases in year two.)
- NQ Salary: £78,500
- Trainee Intake: 30
- Qualification Rate: 94% (retained qualifying trainees in 2025)
- Academic Requirements: No minimum degree requirement; no minimum A‑level requirement. The firm uses the REAL contextual recruitment tool to account for context in which grades were achieved and accepts applicants from non‑traditional routes.
- Application Deadline: 16 January 2026
Seat Options
- Business services
- Banking
- Commercial
- Dispute Resolution
- Commercial, TMT and IP
- Construction and Engineering
- Corporate
- Education & Ecclesiastical
- Employment
- Family
- Pensions
- Private Client
- Real Estate
- Real Estate Finance
- Real Estate Litigation
- Regulatory
- Restructuring
- Tax and Financial Services
- Health Employment
- NHS
- Health Litigation
- Health Real Estate
- Healthcare and Public Law
- Healthcare Commercial
- Primary Care
- Cargo & Logistics
- Commodities
- Personal Injury and Regulatory
- Shipping
- Yachts
Sponsorship
PGDL grant: No grant; SQE grant: No grant.
SQE Support
PGDL/PGDL financial support: No grant. SQE grant: No grant.
International Opportunities
Chances of secondment abroad: 0% (insider data). Trainees are primarily based across the UK offices (Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Birmingham and London) with international office opportunities limited and not routinely offered as part of the standard training contract.
Client Secondments
Chance of client secondment: 17% (insider data). The firm offers client secondments as part of development opportunities for some trainees.
Mentorship
Dedicated trainee committee (partners, legal directors and senior associates) provides regular reviews and career guidance. Trainees are assigned mentors and have access to a trainee community for peer support; the firm also runs buddy/peer networks and provides pastoral support through HR and trainee representatives.
Programmes & Schemes
Two-year paralegal apprenticeship for school leavers or candidates without a university degree. Trainees specialise in a practice area (Costs, Corporate & Commercial, Marine etc.), complete modules in Client Care, Contract Law and Commercial Practice and achieve a Certificate of Higher Education in Law and Legal Practice. Successful paralegal apprentices can progress to solicitor apprenticeships or paralegal roles.
- Duration: 2 years
Office‑based insight days run as part of the training contract recruitment process. Participants meet teams, complete practical tasks, and hear from current trainees about seat experiences within the firm’s business groups.
- Duration: 1 day
Regular virtual and in‑person open evenings for applicants to learn about apprenticeships, SQE routes and training contracts. Events are used to guide applicants through the application process and firm culture.
A six‑week summer internship offered in Liverpool, Manchester, London and Leeds via the 10,000 Interns Foundation; placements provide hands‑on experience and mentorship and are run in partnership with the Foundation.
- Duration: 6 weeks
Notable Matters
Advised Sheffield-based environmental consultancy Cura Terrae on its acquisition of air quality monitoring business Enviro Technology Services Ltd. The transaction formed part of Cura Terrae’s strategic growth plan and added real-time instrumentation and environmental monitoring capability to the group; the Hill Dickinson corporate team (led by Graeme Anderson and James Down) provided M&A advice on the acquisition.
Corporate & M&A
Advised The Billington Group on becoming sole owner of Carr’s Billington Agriculture Ltd through the acquisition of a 50% shareholding from Carr’s Group plc. The multi-disciplinary Hill Dickinson team supported the client across corporate, pensions, real estate and banking issues on a family‑owned, strategic sector transaction.
Corporate & M&A
Advised Hercules plc on the acquisition of the business and assets of Quality Transport Training Ltd (QTT), a Midlands vocational training provider. The deal increased capacity for Hercules Academy; Hill Dickinson’s Corporate‑Commercial team led the transaction, advising on asset sale, TUPE and integration of training operations.
Corporate & M&A
Hill Dickinson’s private equity team advised Inflexion‑backed Celnor Group (and CHPK in a related transaction) on multiple strategic acquisitions to build their Testing, Inspection, Certification and Compliance (TICC) platform. Transactions included the acquisitions of Building Monitoring Services Ltd, Hydrop Environmental Consultancy Services and MC Plan & Site Services, each enhancing the group’s technical capability in risk management, water quality and building control. Corporate partners (e
Corporate & M&A
Advised wellness business Until on an investment round that included entrepreneur Steven Bartlett joining the board and acting as marketing co‑founder. Hill Dickinson’s corporate team provided transactional advice to the management team to support the company’s expansion and growth strategy.
Corporate & M&A
Advised occupational health and wellbeing specialist PAM Group on its acquisition of Irish wellbeing business Corporate Health Ireland (CHI). The deal expanded PAM Group’s geographic footprint into Ireland and supported the client’s growth targets; Hill Dickinson advised on the transaction and integration aspects.
Healthcare & Life Sciences
What Hill Dickinson Looks For
Key Competencies
- Commercial awareness
- Strong communication skills
- Ability to manage multiple projects
- Analytical ability and attention to detail
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Resilience and adaptability
- Client focus and relationship‑building
Evidence Signals
- Sector‑relevant work experience (eg. marine/shipping, healthcare, professional services)
- Commercial internships or secondments (including 10,000 Interns Foundation placements)
- Demonstrable teamwork and client service examples
- Contextual evidence of achievement (REAL rating supportive)
- Non‑traditional routes: apprenticeship or paralegal experience
Benefits & Wellbeing
- Year 1 trainee salary: £43,000
- Year 2 trainee salary: £45,000
- NQ salary: £78,500
- Medical insurance / Health cash plan
- Dental cover
- Fitness allowance / Gym discounts
- Health assessments
- Employee assistance programme (EAP)
- Mental health first aiders
- Bright Horizons partnership (10 fully subsidised back‑up care sessions)
- Reproductive health and well‑being support
- Pension scheme
- Workplace ISA
- Financial wellbeing coaching
- Will writing
- Employee bonus scheme
- Annual travel loan / season ticket loan
- Home working allowance
- Mobile device contribution
- Holiday buy/sell
- Birthday privilege day
- Dining cards
- Matched charity donations and charity payroll giving
- Subsidised back up care, nursery and holiday club support
- Virtual tutoring and employee support services
- Cycle to work and electric/hybrid vehicle scheme
- Income protection, critical illness and life assurance
Wellbeing
Bright Horizons partnership (back‑up care and Work+Family resources), Mindful Business Charter signatory, employee assistance programme, mental health first aiders, health assessments and wellbeing allowances.
Awards & Recognition
- Legal 500 Asia‑Pacific: Singapore Tier 1 ranking for Shipping (2023)
- Legal 500 Asia‑Pacific: Hong Kong ranking for Shipping (Tier 2) and International Arbitration (ranked for 2023)
- Recognised as a Northern Powerhouse Firm of the Year (Legal 500 mention on firm homepage)
- Describes itself as a Top 50 UK law firm (firm history page)
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Use of REAL contextual recruitment tool; partner to Aspiring Solicitors, 10,000 Interns Foundation and Bright Network; commitment to Mindful Business Charter and widening access through apprenticeships and school‑leaver programmes.
- REAL contextual recruitment tool
- Partnership with Aspiring Solicitors
- Partnership with 10,000 Interns Foundation
- Partnership with Bright Network
- Apprenticeship programmes and school‑leaver routes
- Trainee and employee diversity & inclusion groups
Innovation
Quick Application Angles
- Lead with sector focus: reference the firm’s marine/shipping and healthcare work when applying (for example, highlight any shipping, logistics or healthcare experience or commercial awareness).
- Show you’ve read their recent deals: mention Celnor Group/PE roll‑up work or the Cura Terrae Enviro Technology Services matter if relevant and explain the commercial issues you’d consider.
- Emphasise fit with their training model: explain why a specialist route (Business Services, Health or Marine) suits your background and how you’d contribute to a partner‑led seat.
- Demonstrate commitment to widening access or alternative routes: reference apprenticeships, paralegal routes or REAL/contextual factors if relevant to your background.
- Use evidence not platitudes: the firm values practical examples of teamwork, client service and project management — prepare short STAR examples showing outcomes and commercial impact.
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