Hill Dickinson Assessments

Prepare for the Hill Dickinson recruitment process with tailor-made practice materials.

About Hill Dickinson

Hill Dickinson is an international law firm with headquarters in Liverpool. Alongside the Liverpool office, Hill Dickinson has locations in Manchester, Leeds, London, Singapore, Greece, Monaco and Hong Kong.

Established in 1810, Hill Dickinson has been involved in a number of famous cases, including representing the White Star Line following the sinking of the RMS Titanic.

Today, with more than 200 years of experience in corporate, health, construction, real estate and marine law, Hill Dickinson is an inclusive and diverse firm that employs both experienced professionals and graduates across all offices.

Benefits of working at Hill Dickinson

Aside from a competitive salary, the team at Hill Dickinson have several benefits, including:

  • Private medical insurance and health insurance
  • Travel schemes including season ticket loans
  • Flexible pension schemes
  • Professional subscriptions
  • 25 days of holiday plus Bank Holidays as standard with Christmas shutdown and birthdays off
  • Bespoke professional development and leadership training programmes
  • Holistic initiatives including complimentary fruit, yoga and mindfulness
  • Employee recognition awards and company-wide bonuses

Graduates at Hill Dickinson

The Graduate Programme at Hill Dickinson is a two-year rotational programme that is designed to help new graduates find their feet and get award-winning training. Graduates can choose a specialism early, working in either corporate, health or marine law areas.

Graduates get a salary starting at £26,000 (Northern offices) or £37,000 (London offices) alongside support to complete their Solicitor's Qualifying Examination (SQE) as an apprenticeship if necessary.

To apply for the Graduate Programme at Hill Dickinson, you need to be passionate and motivated, with excellent communication skills and an eye for innovative solutions. All applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and although the minimum criteria is a 2:1 degree and AAB, all applications are considered as a whole, which means that considerations can be made for extenuating circumstances.

Hill Dickinson Application Process

The application process for Hill Dickinson is very straightforward, no matter whether you are applying as an experienced professional or for a training contract. However, the steps for each entry method are slightly different.

Hill Dickinson Online Application

The first step is an online application.

For experienced professionals, all roles are advertised on the careers page of the Hill Dickinson website. You can search the job portal by job area, location, and role. To apply for a suitable job, you will need to create a profile and provide contact information and personal details, as well as upload a CV and cover letter.

The job description includes all the information you need to ensure that you know what the role entails, and what the criteria are to apply. You will find essential and desirable skills as well as experience and qualifications listed here, and you should use this to create a bespoke CV and covering letter that highlights your proficiency and suitability for the role.

The Graduate Programme recruitment process begins with the Apply4Law application system, and all communication regarding your application will be found here in the dashboard.

Hill Dickinson Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test

This assessment is used for graduates who are looking for a training contract, and it is a psychometric test that is used in the recruitment process for many law firms in the UK.

The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test is an online assessment that has 40 questions separated into five sections, designed to test candidates on their critical thinking, problem solving and understanding of arguments.

Each section of the test has a different focus.

The first section looks at your Assessment of Inferences. You will be provided with a passage of information, and you will need to label the following inferences with 'true', 'probably true', 'insufficient data', 'probably false', or 'false'.

Then is Recognition of Assumptions. Based on a paragraph of information, you need to decide whether the assumptions that follow are made or not made.

Deduction skills will help you decide if the conclusions that follow a paragraph of information follow or not.

Interpretation is the next section, and here you need to decide if the conclusions that follow a passage can be interpreted as true.

The last section, and probably the hardest for most test takers, is the Evaluation of Arguments. In this section, you will need to decide if the arguments that follow a paragraph of information are strong or weak - not whether you agree with them.

The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test usually has a 30 minute time limit, and it is a good idea to practice a test beforehand so that you are more familiar with the structure, the layout, and the types of questions that you might face.

Hill Dickinson Video Interview

The video interview should be treated like a physical face-to-face interview in terms of preparation.

One of the most important things that you can do before your interview is to make sure you have done your research. Find out all you can about the work of Hill Dickinson, what famous and interesting cases they have been involved in, and any newsworthy events in the legal industry. You also want to be sure that you have researched the role that you have applied for in detail.

Hill Dickinson interviews tend to be taken by a panel, so it might be worth researching the people on the panel as it is likely that they will include senior members of the management team for the office that you have applied for.

The interview itself will be a combination of motivational questions - like why have you chosen this role, or what do you want to do in the future - and competency-based questions.

The competency questions will be based on the skills and competencies that are needed for the role, and you will need to provide examples from your experience that demonstrate that you have the skills needed. These examples should be concise and detailed, and you can think of ideas beforehand by looking at the list of essential and desired skills before the interview so you can practice giving your answers.

During the video interview, make sure that you are properly dressed and against a neutral background, and be sure to test your microphone and speakers as well as the quality of the webcam picture so that you can be seen and heard by the panel.

Hill Dickinson Assessment Centre

The final stage of the graduate application process is attendance at an assessment centre, although this might happen online depending on the situation.

During the assessment centre, you will take part in a number of projects and exercises, designed to assess your soft skills like communication, presentation, leadership, listening skills and teamwork.

One of the activities you might be asked to complete is a written exercise.

You will be provided with a prompt and some information in the form of a case study. This will be a fictional yet realistic collection of information about a client with a problem that needs to be solved.

To complete this exercise, you will need to read and analyse the information, before providing a concise and clear written report with suggested courses of action, backed up by well-thought-out arguments.

This is a great way for you to show your knowledge and skill in presenting an argument, making a considered decision on the best course of action, and demonstrating that you understand the core values of Hill Dickinson and the way they deal with their clients.

You might also be asked to prepare a presentation on a given topic to an assessor or the rest of the group. You will be provided with all the information you need and will be given a short time to prepare.

Once you have completed the presentation, you will be asked questions, so be prepared to present your arguments and explain your thinking. This exercise will help you demonstrate your communication skills, but also show how well you can think on your feet and operate under pressure, much like you would have to in the workplace.

The assessment centre might include a face-to-face interview, which will follow a similar structure to the video interview.

Sample Hill Dickinson Assessments question Test your knowledge!

Score: /6

In the grid below, one box is missing. You must work out what rules are being applied in the other boxes in order to work out which of boxes A to F will complete the grid.

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F

During a client needs analysis, the legal team plotted the number of cases won against the number of cases lost for the past five years. If the ratio of won to lost cases was 4:1 for the first two years, 2:1 for the next two years, and 3:1 in the last year, which of the following ratios accurately represents the cumulative outcome?

  • 3:1
  • 2.5:1
  • 4:1
  • 2:1

A contract negotiation team is comparing clauses from four different contracts. If the first contract has 24 clauses, the second has twice as many as the first, the third has half the number of the second, and the fourth has 20 more than the third, how many clauses does the fourth contract have?

  • 68
  • 44
  • 48
  • 94

After reviewing a series of financial reports, an attorney must estimate the average annual loss due to legal disputes over the past 4 years. If the total losses were $240,000, $300,000, $180,000, and $360,000 respectively, what was the average annual loss?

  • $270,000
  • $295,000
  • $315,000
  • $250,000

While preparing a legal briefing, an analyst must determine the sequence of a set of statutes based on historical changes. If the initial statute is modified by the next legislative term, and each subsequent statute is an amendment of the prior, which of the following legislative progressions is correct?

  • Statute - Amendment A - Revision 1 - Amendment B
  • Revision 1 - Statute - Amendment A - Amendment B
  • Amendment A - Revision 1 - Statute - Amendment B
  • Statute - Revision 1 - Amendment A - Amendment C

In a legal document, a specific clause discusses various compliance regulations. The passage states, 'All entities are required to adhere to the international compliance standards set forth in the preceding sections, with special consideration given to environmental and privacy regulations.' Based on this passage, what is the primary obligation of the entities?

All entities are required to adhere to the international compliance standards set forth in the preceding sections, with special consideration given to environmental and privacy regulations.

  • To conform to international compliance standards
  • To prioritize environmental regulations over privacy
  • To follow only the regulations mentioned in the clause
  • To consider environmental regulations as optional

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Hill Dickinson Assessments Tips

Understand the Format

Familiarize yourself with the types of questions and format of the tests you'll encounter. This will help you manage your time effectively during the actual test.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Regular practice is key to building confidence and improving your test performance. Make sure to take advantage of free practice tests available on Law Tests.

Brush Up on Legal Concepts

A solid understanding of basic legal principles and terminology will give you an edge. Review key concepts relevant to the legal sector.

Stay Calm and Focused

During the test, keep your cool. A calm mind will help you think more clearly and answer questions more accurately.

Read Instructions Carefully

Always read the instructions for each section of the test thoroughly before diving into the questions, to avoid any careless mistakes.

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Hill Dickinson Assessments FAQs

What are the Hill Dickinson tests?

The Hill Dickinson tests are a series of assessments used to evaluate candidates' skills and aptitude for legal roles. They measure various competencies including legal knowledge, analytical abilities, and critical thinking.

Are the Hill Dickinson tests hard?

The difficulty of Hill Dickinson tests can vary depending on your skill level and experience. However, they are designed to be challenging in order to identify the most capable candidates for their legal roles.

How do I prepare for Hill Dickinson tests?

The best way to prepare for Hill Dickinson tests is through practice. On Law Tests, you'll find a wealth of practice tests designed to mirror the real exams—helping you to become familiar with the format and types of questions you might face.

How long does the recruitment process take at Hill Dickinson?

The recruitment process at Hill Dickinson may vary based on the role and location. It typically includes multiple stages, such as application screening, testing, and interviews, and can take several weeks from start to finish.

What are Hill Dickinson's core values?

Hill Dickinson's core values include a commitment to excellence, teamwork, and integrity. They seek to foster a collaborative environment while delivering high-quality legal solutions to their clients.