Dickinson Dees is one of the UK’s leading regional law firms.
Independent and commercially focused, we operate from offices in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tees Valley, York and London. You'd be hard pushed to find better situated or more pleasant locations anywhere in the country. All our offices are friendly and vibrant, offering opportunities to follow cultural and sporting pursuits as well as an excellent night life. The North has a good communication network to the rest of the country and Europe. London is only three hours away by train from Newcastle but there are deserted beaches and unspoilt rural countryside within 30 minutes of all our offices.
With over 600 people in the firm, we offer real strength in depth. Our services are delivered through over 30 different specialist practice groups and provide a full range of legal services to a wide range of commercial and private clients.
But what does this mean for you? First and foremost, high quality work for heavyweight clients who are locally, nationally and internationally based. Plus an exceptionally broad range of services so that you have the opportunity to experience a huge variety of work.
And crucially, training that’s outstanding in terms of quality and quantity. Our comprehensive programme is designed to give you a well rounded and robust training; you have real responsibility from day one, and you benefit from day-to-day, hands-on supervision from top lawyers who are generous about passing on their skills.
As a trainee solicitor, you represent the future of our firm. The training, the support and the opportunities we offer reflect this. Like the region, we’re friendly and enthusiastic. We have an open door policy and a distinct lack of airs and graces. Our partners know the trainees, and vice versa. It’s no accident that this attitude runs through us like letters through a stick of rock. We work at it, value it and strongly support the policies that encourage it.
And, whilst we expect you to work hard, sometimes exceptionally hard, we don’t want you to give every hour of your life to us. Only seeing this fantastic region from your office window won’t do you, or us, any favours.
Relative to our size, we recruit a small number of trainees – about 30 are with us at any one time, you will never be treated as just another bum on a seat and there is plenty of good quality work for everyone. Our aim is to retain our trainees when they qualify. We therefore invest heavily in you and see trainee and junior lawyers as potential future partners. Indeed, a third of our partners were trainees with us.
Consequently, we look for the brightest, most driven high-flyers. As well as an excellent analytical and problem-solving mind, you’ll have good commercial sense and can be articulate and personable with anybody.
Solicitors are business people and our trainees are expected to play a role in the business development of the firm. We’ll also expect you to be committed to your work and your own self-development and we like our trainees to start as they mean to go on. This does not suit everybody. Some people cope better in a more cocooned atmosphere with the chance to develop specialist or technical skills away from other responsibilities. But, if you like to throw yourself into a job, learn quickly and juggle responsibilities, we may be the place for you.
Something happens to the relationships between trainees within a firm when the aim is 100% retention. Relationships are more supportive and friendly. Human nature being what it is, this does not and cannot happen in firms committed to anything less.
Some people thrive best in an aggressively competitive environment, and Dickinson Dees will not be the best place for them. We want to recruit people who will enjoy the working atmosphere in the firm, be supportive of it and, as they progress through the ranks, take steps to maintain it.
Independent and commercially focused, we operate from offices in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tees Valley, York and London. You'd be hard pushed to find better situated or more pleasant locations anywhere in the country. All our offices are friendly and vibrant, offering opportunities to follow cultural and sporting pursuits as well as an excellent night life. The North has a good communication network to the rest of the country and Europe. London is only three hours away by train from Newcastle but there are deserted beaches and unspoilt rural countryside within 30 minutes of all our offices.
With over 600 people in the firm, we offer real strength in depth. Our services are delivered through over 30 different specialist practice groups and provide a full range of legal services to a wide range of commercial and private clients.
But what does this mean for you? First and foremost, high quality work for heavyweight clients who are locally, nationally and internationally based. Plus an exceptionally broad range of services so that you have the opportunity to experience a huge variety of work.
And crucially, training that’s outstanding in terms of quality and quantity. Our comprehensive programme is designed to give you a well rounded and robust training; you have real responsibility from day one, and you benefit from day-to-day, hands-on supervision from top lawyers who are generous about passing on their skills.
As a trainee solicitor, you represent the future of our firm. The training, the support and the opportunities we offer reflect this. Like the region, we’re friendly and enthusiastic. We have an open door policy and a distinct lack of airs and graces. Our partners know the trainees, and vice versa. It’s no accident that this attitude runs through us like letters through a stick of rock. We work at it, value it and strongly support the policies that encourage it.
And, whilst we expect you to work hard, sometimes exceptionally hard, we don’t want you to give every hour of your life to us. Only seeing this fantastic region from your office window won’t do you, or us, any favours.
Relative to our size, we recruit a small number of trainees – about 30 are with us at any one time, you will never be treated as just another bum on a seat and there is plenty of good quality work for everyone. Our aim is to retain our trainees when they qualify. We therefore invest heavily in you and see trainee and junior lawyers as potential future partners. Indeed, a third of our partners were trainees with us.
Consequently, we look for the brightest, most driven high-flyers. As well as an excellent analytical and problem-solving mind, you’ll have good commercial sense and can be articulate and personable with anybody.
Solicitors are business people and our trainees are expected to play a role in the business development of the firm. We’ll also expect you to be committed to your work and your own self-development and we like our trainees to start as they mean to go on. This does not suit everybody. Some people cope better in a more cocooned atmosphere with the chance to develop specialist or technical skills away from other responsibilities. But, if you like to throw yourself into a job, learn quickly and juggle responsibilities, we may be the place for you.
Something happens to the relationships between trainees within a firm when the aim is 100% retention. Relationships are more supportive and friendly. Human nature being what it is, this does not and cannot happen in firms committed to anything less.
Some people thrive best in an aggressively competitive environment, and Dickinson Dees will not be the best place for them. We want to recruit people who will enjoy the working atmosphere in the firm, be supportive of it and, as they progress through the ranks, take steps to maintain it.