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Hill Dickinson
An international commercial law firm offering sector-focused training contracts across business services, health and marine.
About Hill Dickinson
Hill Dickinson is an international commercial law firm with roots in maritime practice dating back to 1810. Its UK presence includes Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Newcastle, alongside overseas locations serving international markets.
The firm combines commercial legal services with established healthcare and marine expertise. Its lawyers advise on transactions, disputes, property, employment and regulation, supporting clients ranging from businesses and healthcare organisations to shipping companies and participants in international trade.
For prospective trainees, its defining feature is the choice between three business groups: Business Services, Health and Marine. Applicants should investigate that choice carefully because it shapes their training experience. An interest in the firm’s international network should also connect with the clients and work of the chosen group.
The two-year training contract comprises four six-month seats across at least three teams, generally within the selected business group. Newcastle currently offers experience across all three groups. Trainees meet the trainee committee twice during each seat and attend a development programme every two months.
Future trainees following the SQE route study with BARBRI. The firm funds preparation and examination fees and provides an £11,000 maintenance grant. Non-law graduates complete Foundations in Law first, while candidates who have completed or are studying the LPC follow the recognised training route, subject to applicable qualification requirements.
Practice areas & rankings
Hill Dickinson has 36 ranked departments in Chambers UK 2027. Band 1 recognitions include Corporate/M&A: £5 million and above in the North West, alongside UK-wide rankings for physical commodities, public and third-sector healthcare, mental health providers and Court of Protection work for public sector clients.
The rankings reflect the breadth of the firm’s commercial, health and marine practices. Individual bands and geographical coverage should be considered separately when researching a particular office.
Ranked departmentsChambers UK
Explore the practice areas
Ranked Band 1 for Commodities: Physicals, UK-wide, in Chambers UK 2027, Hill Dickinson advises businesses involved in international commodity trading. The wider marine and trade practice supports contentious and non-contentious matters, connecting trading relationships with transport, insurance and finance. Disputes can involve sale contracts, cargo condition and international arbitration.
Ranked Band 1 for Healthcare: Public and Third Sector, UK-wide, in Chambers UK 2027, the firm advises NHS and independent healthcare organisations. Its work includes governance, regulation, commercial arrangements, claims and investigations. The practice also supports organisations developing services and adopting new technology, combining operational advice with work involving sensitive patient issues.
Ranked Band 1 for Corporate/M&A: £5 million and above in the North West in Chambers UK 2027, the corporate practice forms part of the firm’s broader commercial offering. It sits alongside banking, employment, property and dispute resolution teams, providing context for understanding how different specialisms contribute to business transactions and clients’ wider objectives.
Ranked Band 1 for Mental Health: Providers and for Court of Protection: Health & Welfare (Public Sector Clients), both UK-wide in Chambers UK 2027, Hill Dickinson advises on legal issues affecting care and treatment. These practices sit within its wider healthcare offering and require close attention to organisational responsibilities, individual circumstances and the consequences of decisions for patients and families.
Awards
Legal Advisors of the Year, PublicHealthInvestor Awards 2024
The application process
Click on each stage to find out more.
Applications for September 2029 training contracts opened on 1 October 2026 and close on 10 January 2027. Candidates can apply for a training contract alone or in conjunction with a summer 2027 insight day. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
The online form asks for personal information and answers specific to Hill Dickinson. Your chosen business group deserves particular attention. Explain what interests you about its clients and work, supported by something you have researched, studied or experienced.
For Business Services, you might explore how lawyers support a company’s growth or resolve a commercial disagreement. For Health, consider the interaction between service delivery, regulation and financial pressures. For Marine, investigate an issue affecting international trade, shipping or logistics.
Use examples showing initiative, collaboration and your ability to learn. Explain your own contribution and the outcome, then connect the experience with the demands of trainee work. Avoid relying on the firm’s international presence or reputation without explaining why its actual practice appeals to you.
The firm uses contextual recruitment to consider the circumstances in which academic results were achieved. Current application questions and word limits should be checked in the portal.
Hill Dickinson: quick answers
How much does Hill Dickinson pay trainees?
Hill Dickinson pays first-year trainees £45,000, rising to £48,500 in the second year. Newly qualified solicitors at Hill Dickinson earn £80,000.
When are the Hill Dickinson application deadlines?
Internships 1 Oct 2026 – 15 Nov 2026 · Training contracts 1 Oct 2026 – 10 Jan 2027 Deadlines can change and popular schemes may close early, so check the live application deadlines tracker.
How many trainees does Hill Dickinson take on?
Hill Dickinson takes on around ±20 trainees in each intake, so places are competitive and strong applications matter.
What tests does Hill Dickinson use in its applications?
Candidates progressing from the application complete an online assessment containing interactive questions and a recorded video interview. Invitations can be issued before the application deadline. The current careers page does not specify the test provider, question types or time limits. Earlier published information describes a blended approach involving situational judgement, cognitive ability and behavioural questions, but the precise format for this cycle remains unconfirmed. Practise reading scenarios carefully, distinguishing evidence from assumptions and evaluating possible responses. Consider when to act independently, seek guidance or clarify competing priorities. Follow the current assessment instructions rather than assuming that an older format still applies.
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