Our Training Contract & Vacation Scheme
Welcome Hay & Kilner is based in Newcastle with a branch office in Wallsend. The firm was established in 1946 and we now have over 50 solicitors and legal executives and about 150 staff. Trainees are usually based in our Newcastle office. We are committed to understanding our clients and providing for their needs. We provide a full range of commercial and personal legal services locally, nationally and sometimes overseas. Part of the firm trades as Wallers and provides a variety of property related volume services. We are recommended in 24 work areas in The Legal 500 and Chambers Guide, independent guides to the legal profession. Hay & Kilner are a strong professional firm with a good reputation they employ solicitors that you want to work with.
Our practice areas Our expertise in a wide range of practice areas means that trainees obtain an excellent and rounded training. Services for Business Banking & Financial Commercial CommercialDebt Recovery Commercial Disputes Commercial Property Construction Corporate Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency Employment Health & Safety Insurance Intellectual Property Liability Claims Services for individuals Clinical Negligence Conveyancing Crime & Motoring Offences Family Personal Injury Wills, Trusts & Tax Planning Sectors we cover Banking & Finance Charities Construction Entrepreneurs & Start ups Healthcare Media & Entertainment Property Full details are available on our website.
The training contract Our trainees are the future of the firm, so we give them the best possible training. Trainees are given responsibility and play an important part in our teams. Our training contract consists of four six month seats. To help you decide which area of law you want to practise in, you will gain experience across a range of contentious and noncontentious work areas in Commercial, Litigation and Private Client. We pride ourselves in being friendly and approachable and you ll receive our full support throughout your training. Working hours at Hay & Kilner vary depending on the workload of the department and how you prioritise your time. With other local firms, we have designed a commercial professional skills course for our trainees at the University of Northumbria. The training is relevant to the work that you will do with us. The application process We are looking for intelligent, ambitious, commercially aware and outgoing individuals. The application process includes an interview, as well as written and practical exercises. We encourage applications from non-law graduates and we value outside interests and experience. We interview for training contracts two years before you join us. The deadline for applications is 31st July.
During the recruitment process, I completed written assessments, a group exercise & presentation, and a panel interview with some unusual questions. I came from a non-law background and was a little apprehensive about how this would be viewed. However, the style of recruitment enabled me to demonstrate how the skills I developed in my previous career could be put to good use as a lawyer. - Isabel Clough, 2nd year Trainee Solicitor The vacation scheme We run a vacation scheme in June / July each year. This provides you with experience of what it is like to be a solicitor. Attending our one week vacation scheme will allow you to see whether we are the right firm for you, and we can also get to know you better. The deadline for applications is the end of February. I already knew that the firm had an excellent reputation in the North East and spending time in different departments as part of the vacation scheme, allowed me to confirm that it was somewhere that I would be made to feel part of the team as well as receiving excellent training. Lauren Hall, Qualified Solicitor, Clinical Negligence
What s it really like? Our trainees and solicitors answer your commonly asked questions. See for yourself exactly why others have chosen Hay & Kilner. Why did you choose to live and work in the North East? Newcastle is definitely a city in balance - thriving businesses alongside budding start ups provide a strong commercial background, with plenty of culture and countryside thrown into the mix. I lived in many other cities growing up, and I have not yet found one to rival Newcastle! Corinne McClelland, 2nd year Trainee Solicitor I came to Newcastle as a student, fell for its Geordie charm and have remained here ever since. Newcastle is a great place to live and work. It has a big city mentality with thriving industry but with the advantage of being very compact. Christian Butler, Qualified Solicitor, Family Law Why did you choose to apply for a training contract with Hay & Kilner what made Hay & Kilner distinct from other firms? Hay & Kilner stood out because of the range of work they offered in their training contract. Alongside the commercial seats offered by many North East firms, Hay & Kilner also provides an opportunity to work with individual clients in departments such as private client and clinical negligence. Corinne McClelland, 2nd year Trainee Solicitor I knew I wanted to work for a firm that was of a size where I could make a real contribution. I didn t want to feel like a very small fish in a vast pond. I also wanted to work for a firm that has a great reputation regionally but whose client base extends nationally and even internationally. Hay & Kilner just seemed to fit the bill perfectly. Isabel Clough, 2nd year Trainee Solicitor
What was your first day like? Walking into the office to start my training contract I was a little nervous, but was made to feel very welcome. My first seat was in private capital and I was immediately invited along to a client meeting that same afternoon, so I was definitely involved from the outset. - Corinne McClelland, 2nd year Trainee Solicitor After a nervous start, I quickly started to relax once I d been shown around the offices and introduced to as many people as possible. Although meeting so many people on your first day may sound intimidating, it s a great introduction to the firm and the perfect opportunity to meet people working in other departments. I was then shown to my desk and immediately given the task of drafting a renewal lease. You really do get thrown in to work from day one, but I believe it s the best introduction to life as a trainee. - Sophie Moss, 1st year Trainee Solicitor How do the partners interact with trainees? I can honestly say that there is no us and them mentality. Every partner I have worked for has been extremely approachable and supportive. - Isabel Clough, 2nd year Trainee Solicitor As a trainee at Hay & Kilner, you are generally sat in a room with at least one of the partners of the department. From day one, the partners have made me feel very welcome and part of the department. I believe your training contract is the time for asking questions and learning the skills and techniques you need to progress. The partners at Hay & Kilner truly understand the importance of the training process and offer you all the support you need in order to succeed. - Sophie Moss, 1st year Trainee Solicitor
How do you feel the firm fits your career aspirations? Hay & Kilner is a great firm for an ambitious lawyer to-be. If you want to be part of a growing, reputable firm that pushes you in at the deep end, I would urge you to apply! Louise Asquith, 1st year Trainee Solicitor Hay & Kilner have provided me with an excellent grounding for my future. They have provided seats in areas of law which I have expressed a direct interest in, allowing me to explore these areas and to develop skills in both contentious and non-contentious work. I have also had 6 months on a client secondment, which has provided me with insight into the workings and legal concerns of a large business which will be invaluable when working with business clients in the future. Corinne McClelland, 2nd year Trainee Solicitor Which piece of work have you been most excited about how involved were you? My first seat was in the Clinical Negligence department. I think, the most exciting part was being involved in the preparation and the eventual attendance at a High Court, seven day hearing, heard in the Royal Courts of Justice. I travelled down to London with a partner and assisted in support of the case. I was however involved in high profile matters throughout my Clinical Negligence seat and can sincerely say there was not a dull day! Louise Asquith, 1st year Trainee Solicitor Assisting Counsel and supporting the family of a deceased client at an inquest relating to a Clinical Negligence case was an excellent experience. Being able to observe Counsel, questioning expert witnesses, and explaining issues to the family members during the week long inquest, gave me great exposure to this aspect of Clinical Negligence cases. - Richard Marshall, Qualified Solicitor, Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning
Have you any advice for future applicants? Whilst it is important to be professional at all times, don t be afraid to let your personality show. If you pretend to be something you are not, you will not be happy working at the firm. Triple check your application form and get someone else to read it too it is easy to miss mistakes when you are reading the same document again and again! Join the Junior Lawyers Division and do some networking with current trainees/solicitors at Hay & Kilner. - Isabel Clough, 2nd year Trainee Solicitor Be yourself and do your research. It s really important to look into Hay & Kilner so that you can decide whether you think it s the firm for you. You will then feel more prepared for the application process, and it will show. Sophie Moss, 1st year Trainee Solicitor Vacation scheme: What was your initial impression of the firm? Everyone in the firm was very friendly. People are interested in you and want you to succeed. I was also impressed by the range of specialist areas of work provided by the firm and the opportunities available for a trainee at the firm. - Lauren Hall, Qualified Solicitor, Clinical Negligence What capacity of work were you involved in? Even though the vacation scheme is only a week long, you get to experience different areas of practice by spending a day in various departments. This means that each day you are experiencing a different type of work and get to experience first-hand how different departments and areas of practice operate. The work you are given is similar to that of the trainees in that department. The work I undertook ranged from research tasks and document analysis to drafting documents and advice. Sophie Moss, 1st year Trainee Solicitor
Do you feel the Vacation scheme was beneficial for you? Yes not only did the Vacation scheme confirm that Hay & Kilner offered a warm and friendly working environment and one that I could see myself fitting into and being a part of, but it gave me legal experience which I hadn t previously obtained and confirmed that a career in law was the one for me. I would highly recommend applying for the vacation scheme to anyone who has serious aspirations of working at Hay & Kilner. Sophie Moss, 1st year Trainee Solicitor Absolutely - It was a great way of confirming that a) I wanted to be a solicitor; and b) I wanted to work for Hay & Kilner! - Isabel Clough, 2nd year Trainee Solicitor View from the Partnership As one of a growing group of Hay & Kilner partners who trained with the firm, it has always impressed me how our trainees are encouraged to be fully involved in every aspect of the practice. For me, it was great to be treated as an integral part of the team, and I am pleased to say that supportive environment has not changed. The route to partnership is clearly defined and our junior lawyers are given every opportunity to advance quickly. Jonathan Waters, Partner, Corporate & Commercial
The social side Life as a trainee at Hay & Kilner is brimming with social activities... Both before and after you join us, you will be able to meet colleagues through a range of social events such as quiz nights, hiking trips, the Christmas Carol Service and more informal evenings. We encourage everyone to support a variety of fund raising activities throughout the year, in aid of both local and national charities. One of my favourite aspects of Hay & Kilner is how well all the members of staff get along with each other.
At Hay & Kilner, the trainees all interact well together both in and out of work. I have made some great friends during my time at the firm. If I had to pick one of my favourite activities during my time here it would probably be sharing a celebratory drink with my colleagues after completing the 5K Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund fun run. Isabel Clough, 2nd year Trainee Solicitor If you think you ve got what it takes to become one of our trainees, we d love to hear from you. To apply for a training contract and / or the vacation scheme, visit our website: www.hay-kilner.co.uk and complete our online application form. You will find this in the careers section of our website: http://www.hay-kilner.co.uk/join/graduates/ If you require any further information, please contact Ros Sparrow, Recruitment Partner on 0191 232 8345, or email ros.sparrow@hay-kilner.co.uk. KEY DATES 28th February - application deadline for the vacation scheme 31st July - application deadline for the training contract Apply online for training contracts and the vacation scheme. www.hay-kilner.co.uk