Firm Profiles
A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman
A Magic Circle Firm
A Magic Circle Firm
Year 1 Trainee
£56,000
Year 2 Trainee
£61,000
Newly Qualified
£150,000
A&O Shearman is a global law firm formed from the 2024 merger of Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling. With around 4,000 lawyers in 48 offices worldwide, it offers top-tier expertise in cross-border finance, M&A, disputes, and regulatory work. The firm is known for its combined strength in English and U.S. law, serving leading international clients across key sectors.
TC Number
80
Seats
4
Secondments
Yes
Offices
48
The firm offers approximately 80 training contracts each year, with trainees undertaking four six-month seats across a broad range of practice areas. There are strong opportunities for international secondments, currently available in up to 13 of the firm’s 48 global offices, including locations such as Dubai, New York, and Singapore. Trainees may also have the chance to go on client secondments, offering a valuable opportunity to develop commercial awareness, deepen client relationships, and gain insight into the legal function from the client’s perspective.
Rankings in Chambers
58
Category
Magic Circle
A&O Shearman was named ‘Most Innovative Law Firm in Europe’ at the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards 2024, in recognition of its pioneering work in generative AI, including the firm-wide rollout of Harvey and the development of ContractMatrix in collaboration with Microsoft. The firm was also recognised as ‘Overall Firm of the Year’ at the Lexology Index Awards 2024, and received a ‘Highly Commended’ mention for its marketing initiatives at the Legal Business Awards 2024 — reflecting its commitment to excellence across both innovation and client engagement.
The Application Process
Vacation Scheme Deadline
TBD
A-Levels Requirements
AAB
Degree Requirements
Degree Requirements
2:1
Application Writing
The application focuses solely on an applicant’s work and education history, so it’s essential that all content is grammatically correct and well-presented. Applicants are advised to review their submission thoroughly and, if possible, have it checked by a friend, family member, or careers advisor. The work experience section is especially important and has no word limit, so candidates should use this space to tell a compelling story. Whether it’s society leadership, hospitality work, or volunteering, applicants should explain what they learned and how these experiences demonstrate transferable skills relevant to a legal career. Demonstrating proactivity and motivation is key. Attending firm events, completing legal work experience, or engaging in virtual insight days should all be included.
Assessment Centre
The Assessment Day consists of two one-on-one interviews and a written exercise. Candidates will take part in a case study interview with a Partner, as well as a scenario-based interview with a member of HR or a Senior Associate. For the case study, applicants are given time to review a commercial brief and prepare a short presentation, which is then delivered to the interviewer and followed by a discussion of the key points raised.
After the case study interview, candidates will complete a short written exercise. The second interview focuses on situational questions related to scenarios a trainee solicitor may encounter. Each interview lasts approximately one hour, with dedicated preparation time provided before the case study.
Interview Stage
As per above.
Application Writing
Psychometric Testing
The application focuses solely on an applicant’s work and education history, so it’s essential that all content is grammatically correct and well-presented. Applicants are advised to review their submission thoroughly and, if possible, have it checked by a friend, family member, or careers advisor. The work experience section is especially important and has no word limit, so candidates should use this space to tell a compelling story. Whether it’s society leadership, hospitality work, or volunteering, applicants should explain what they learned and how these experiences demonstrate transferable skills relevant to a legal career. Demonstrating proactivity and motivation is key. Attending firm events, completing legal work experience, or engaging in virtual insight days should all be included.
The assessment consists of situational judgment questions, verbal and numerical reasoning tasks, and two short motivation questions to be completed via video. It is untimed and typically takes around 45 to 60 minutes to complete. Designed to offer a realistic preview of the trainee experience at A&O Shearman, the interactive assessment also allows the firm to gain insight into a candidate’s motivations. Applicants are encouraged to take as much time as needed to prepare for the video interview component. However, they should be aware that each video response is limited to two minutes.
Psychometric Testing
The assessment consists of situational judgment questions, verbal and numerical reasoning tasks, and two short motivation questions to be completed via video. It is untimed and typically takes around 45 to 60 minutes to complete. Designed to offer a realistic preview of the trainee experience at A&O Shearman, the interactive assessment also allows the firm to gain insight into a candidate’s motivations. Applicants are encouraged to take as much time as needed to prepare for the video interview component. However, they should be aware that each video response is limited to two minutes.
Interview Stage
As per above.
Assessment Centre
The Assessment Day consists of two one-on-one interviews and a written exercise. Candidates will take part in a case study interview with a Partner, as well as a scenario-based interview with a member of HR or a Senior Associate. For the case study, applicants are given time to review a commercial brief and prepare a short presentation, which is then delivered to the interviewer and followed by a discussion of the key points raised.
After the case study interview, candidates will complete a short written exercise. The second interview focuses on situational questions related to scenarios a trainee solicitor may encounter. Each interview lasts approximately one hour, with dedicated preparation time provided before the case study.
The Firm's History
1930 → George Allen & Thomas Overy start their firm. Left their old firm as top billers but weren’t rewarded.
1936 → Firm gains recognition advising King Edward VIII during the abdication crisis.
1963 → Diversifies as both a commercial and financial firm, advising on the first Eurobond.
2000 → Allen & Overy merges with Loeff Claeys Verbeke.
2004 → Converts to a limited liability partnership.
2008 → A&O breaks the £1 billion turnover mark.
2010 → First major firm to let equity partners work part-time.
2010 → Expands to Australia, opening new offices in Perth and Sydney.
2011 → First global law firm to open an office in Casablanca, Morocco.
2014 → Opens Johannesburg office, the first Magic Circle firm in sub-Saharan Africa.
2018 → Planned merger with O’Melveny & Myers falls through.
2019 → Surpasses $1 trillion in terms of deal value.
2021 → Wins International Law Firm of the Year.
2022 → First in the world to use generative AI at enterprise level with Harvey.
2024 → Surpasses £1 billion in profit.
2024 → Merges with Shearman & Sterling to form A&O Shearman, one of the world’s largest law firms.
(please note these are highlights and the firm's history is far more complex)
Firm Profiles
A&O Shearman
A Magic Circle Firm
Year 1
Trainee
£56,000
Year 2
Trainee
£61,000
Newly
Qualified
£150,000
A&O Shearman is a global law firm formed from the 2024 merger of Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling. With around 4,000 lawyers in 48 offices worldwide, it offers top-tier expertise in cross-border finance, M&A, disputes, and regulatory work. The firm is known for its combined strength in English and U.S. law, serving leading international clients across key sectors.
TC Number
80
Seats
4
Secondments
Yes
Offices
48
The firm offers approximately 80 training contracts each year, with trainees undertaking four six-month seats across a broad range of practice areas. There are strong opportunities for international secondments, currently available in up to 13 of the firm’s 48 global offices, including locations such as Dubai, New York, and Singapore. Trainees may also have the chance to go on client secondments, offering a valuable opportunity to develop commercial awareness, deepen client relationships, and gain insight into the legal function from the client’s perspective.
Rankings in Chambers
58
Awards
Most Innovative Firm
Category
Magic Circle
A&O Shearman was named ‘Most Innovative Law Firm in Europe’ at the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards 2024, in recognition of its pioneering work in generative AI, including the firm-wide rollout of Harvey and the development of ContractMatrix in collaboration with Microsoft. The firm was also recognised as ‘Overall Firm of the Year’ at the Lexology Index Awards 2024, and received a ‘Highly Commended’ mention for its marketing initiatives at the Legal Business Awards 2024 — reflecting its commitment to excellence across both innovation and client engagement.
The Vacation Scheme Application Process
Application Writing
The application focuses solely on an applicant’s work and education history, so it’s essential that all content is grammatically correct and well-presented. Applicants are advised to review their submission thoroughly and, if possible, have it checked by a friend, family member, or careers advisor. The work experience section is especially important and has no word limit, so candidates should use this space to tell a compelling story. Whether it’s society leadership, hospitality work, or volunteering, applicants should explain what they learned and how these experiences demonstrate transferable skills relevant to a legal career. Demonstrating proactivity and motivation is key. Attending firm events, completing legal work experience, or engaging in virtual insight days should all be included.
Psychometric Testing
The assessment consists of situational judgment questions, verbal and numerical reasoning tasks, and two short motivation questions to be completed via video. It is untimed and typically takes around 45 to 60 minutes to complete. Designed to offer a realistic preview of the trainee experience at A&O Shearman, the interactive assessment also allows the firm to gain insight into a candidate’s motivations. Applicants are encouraged to take as much time as needed to prepare for the video interview component. However, they should be aware that each video response is limited to two minutes.
Interview Stage
As per above.
Assessment Centre
The Assessment Day consists of two one-on-one interviews and a written exercise. Candidates will take part in a case study interview with a Partner, as well as a scenario-based interview with a member of HR or a Senior Associate. For the case study, applicants are given time to review a commercial brief and prepare a short presentation, which is then delivered to the interviewer and followed by a discussion of the key points raised.
After the case study interview, candidates will complete a short written exercise. The second interview focuses on situational questions related to scenarios a trainee solicitor may encounter. Each interview lasts approximately one hour, with dedicated preparation time provided before the case study.
The Firm's History
1930 → George Allen & Thomas Overy start their firm. Left their old firm as top billers but weren’t rewarded.
1936 → Firm gains recognition advising King Edward VIII during the abdication crisis.
1963 → Diversifies as both a commercial and financial firm, advising on the first Eurobond.
2000 → Allen & Overy merges with Loeff Claeys Verbeke.
2004 → Converts to a limited liability partnership.
2008 → A&O breaks the £1 billion turnover mark.
2010 → First major firm to let equity partners work part-time.
2010 → Expands to Australia, opening new offices in Perth and Sydney.
2011 → First global law firm to open an office in Casablanca, Morocco.
2014 → Opens Johannesburg office, the first Magic Circle firm in sub-Saharan Africa.
2018 → Planned merger with O’Melveny & Myers falls through.
2019 → Surpasses $1 trillion in terms of deal value.
2021 → Wins International Law Firm of the Year.
2022 → First in the world to use generative AI at enterprise level with Harvey.
2024 → Surpasses £1 billion in profit.
2024 → Merges with Shearman & Sterling to form A&O Shearman, one of the world’s largest law firms.
(please note these are highlights and the firm's history is far more complex)
Vacation Scheme Deadline
TBD
AAB
A-Levels Requirements
Degree Requirements
2:1