Modern slavery statement

Our Commitment – Financial Year Ending 30 April 2025

We are committed to preventing acts of modern slavery and human trafficking from occurring within our business and supply chain, and we impose the same high standards on our suppliers, contractors and other business partners. Hill Dickinson LLP takes its responsibilities seriously and this statement constitutes its compliance pursuant to section 54 (1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (the Act).

The Firm

Hill Dickinson LLP is a global law firm, established and operating as a limited liability partnership (‘LLP’) under English law, registered in England and Wales with registered number OC314079 and registered office of No. 1 St. Paul’s Square, Liverpool, L3 9SJ . Hill Dickinson LLP is a law firm authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales.

The Hill Dickinson group comprises of a number of subsidiaries (where Hill Dickinson LLP is the parent company) and a number of separately constituted and regulated legal entities providing legal services in different jurisdictions and locations. To find out more about the nature of our business see here and more information about locations here.

As a law firm providing professional services, the Firm employs professionally qualified lawyers. We also employ staff who provide administrative, facilities and business services.

Hill Dickinson LLP has a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery. We are an Accredited Living Wage Employer and we have committed to pay all our employees a fair living wage. 

We are also a signatory to the United Nations (“UN”) Global Compact initiative. We have voluntarily committed to align with its strategies and operations with universal principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. This initiative further encourages us to create a culture of integrity across the firm and to be part of more than 20,000 participating global companies.  

Scope of the Modern Slavery Act 2015

The Act defines modern slavery (Modern Slavery) as “slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour” and “human trafficking”. The Act requires commercial organisations operating in the UK (i.e. that supply goods or services from or to the UK) and have a global turnover above £36 million, to publish a statement each financial year, which sets out the steps they have taken to ensure there is no Modern Slavery in their business or supply chains.

Policies

As part of our commitment to combating Modern Slavery, our Modern Slavery statement and Code of Conduct and Minimum Terms set out our zero-tolerance approach to Modern Slavery in our organisation and supply chain. We expect all our staff, partners and suppliers to embrace our core principles and match the high standards that we set ourselves. 

All staff are expected to comply with relevant laws and professional Codes of Conduct, as well as firm policies and procedures. 

Our due diligence processes and supply chain

As a professional services organisation, we consider the risk of Modern Slavery existing within our business to be low. Despite the low risk, due diligence and monitoring is completed on our supply chain based on our zero-tolerance approach to Modern Slavery in our organisation. All new suppliers sign up to our Code of Conduct and Minimum Terms and existing suppliers are reminded of our Code during the term of the contract
In order to deliver legal services, the firm works with a range of suppliers, the majority of whom are considered to be based in low-risk jurisdictions.

We endeavour to work with businesses and suppliers that adopt the same strict standards that we ourselves adhere to. In turn, we expect our suppliers to operate fairly and ethically, where workers are treated with respect and dignity, and the highest standards of human rights are maintained.

Hill Dickinson LLP has developed a risk-based approach to assess the possibility of Modern Slavery within our supply chain. The factors considered for this approach include the country of origin and location from which services are provided.

Suppliers are onboarded and managed through a Supplier Information Pack and when responses are received, they are reviewed and assessed. Where a potential risk is identified, it is investigated and mitigated through activities such as enhanced due diligence.

Our Supplier Information Pack is issued to new suppliers and reviewed during the term of the contract.

The contractual terms and conditions that we put in place with our suppliers are regularly reviewed and updated. 

We enforce strict compliance and do not tolerate Modern Slavery within our supply chains. In the rare event that we become aware of a case of Modern Slavery; we will work with the supplier to implement remedial action. We expect our suppliers to engage with us constructively and responsibly, and to demonstrate their willingness to remedy issues in a timely manner. If we find evidence of a failure to comply with our policies, we will immediately address these and take swift actions which may include terminating supplier relationships.

Training

Modern Slavery training is an assessed course and incorporated into Hill Dickinson’s mandatory training calendar and is required to be completed as part of new starter induction. 

Additional training is provided when necessary for those staff who are involved in recruitment and procurement. 

Approvals

This statement is made in accordance with section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes Hill Dickinson’s slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year commencing 1st May 2024 and ending 30th April 2025. This statement has been reviewed and approved by the firms Executive Board.

April 2025