Why Dickinson Dees?
Begin by assuming high quality work, excellent resources, top lawyers, heavyweight clients, quality of training, quality of life and good prospects. In case you are in any doubt, take a look at the rest of our website or publications like the Legal 500 or the True Picture in the Chambers Student Guide.
But all major commercial firms offer these things anyway. So what makes us any different? These are the things which we think make us different. It doesn't necessarily mean better for everyone - just different.
Location
We are based in magnificent offices on Newcastle's thriving Quayside, the Tees Valley and in York. You'd be hard pushed to find better situated or more pleasant locations anywhere in the country. All cities are friendly and vibrant, offering opportunities to follow cultural and sporting pursuits as well as an excellent night life. The North East has a good communication network to the rest of the country and Europe. London is only 2½ hours away by train but there are deserted beaches and unspoilt rural countryside within 30 minutes of all our offices.
Size
We have over 950 people including 81 partners and are continuing to expand, but you will never be treated as just another bum on a seat. The number of trainees in the firm has increased steadily over the past few years but we still have only around 40 trainees in total at any one time so there is plenty of good quality work for everyone. We're big enough to attract the highest quality of work, but still small enough to remain friendly. You will not feel anonymous, and you won't spend endless nights beside the photocopier!
Our trainees have more day to day client contact than in comparable or larger firms, and more opportunity to manage their own files with greater responsibility. We offer excellent supervision and a good support network but in return we expect lawyers committed to their work and their own self development. Solicitors are business people and our trainees are expected to play a role in the business development of the firm. 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.
Commitment
We recruit a relatively small number of trainees for a firm of our size. It's our aim to achieve 100% retention of our trainees on qualification. While we cannot guarantee everyone's retention, this approach underpins the whole way in which we treat our trainees from day one. We regard our trainee solicitors as the firm's future, and invest heavily in them.
It's obviously imperative that we give our trainees the best possible opportunity for training and self development if they are to make a success of a career with us. It is also important that we understand our trainees' strengths, their interests and their aspirations. We try to match the training programme to the strengths and interests of our trainees and our business requirements.
We like to be sure that, in investing so much in our trainees, we will get something back on qualification. If you feel that you would like to try a few different jobs before you settle down, then Dickinson Dees is not the right place for you. On the other hand, if you want to make a long term commitment to a firm then we may be what you are looking for. A third of our partners were trainees with the firm, as were many of our directors, associates and other lawyers. So, at Dickinson Dees your career really is our future.
Culture
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.
This mirrors the atmosphere in the firm as a whole. First names are used throughout and we operate an open door policy. Quite how we have managed to maintain such a good working atmosphere in a highly attuned business culture, employing many very talented people, we don't know. The culture we have is highly valued by the partners and policies that help to maintain it are strongly supported.
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.