A&O Shearman
Overview
A&O Shearman is a major international commercial law firm with an emphasis on cross-border finance, corporate, disputes and ENRI (Energy, Natural Resources & Infrastructure). The firm operates a tightly connected global network (almost 50 offices in 29 countries) and promotes a future-focused approach to law through specialist innovation hubs (notably Fuse) and multi-jurisdictional deal capability. The firm positions itself as a high-performance, training-focused employer that gives junior lawyers early responsibility on high-profile, complex matters while supporting inclusion and wellbeing.
- Headquarters: London
- Trainees: 70
- Offices: 48
- Revenue: £2.9 billion
Values & Culture
Practice Areas
- Corporate & M&A
- Banking & Finance
- Capital Markets
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Energy & Natural Resources
- Data Protection & Privacy
- Financial Services & Regulation
- Investment Funds
- International Arbitration
- Intellectual Property
- Real Estate
- Insolvency & Restructuring
- Technology & Digital
- Tax
- Regulatory & Compliance
Geographic Focus: A&O Shearman operates globally with almost 50 offices in 29 countries and a clear focus on major financial and commercial centres (London, New York, Frankfurt, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong and others). The firm emphasises cross-border, multijurisdictional teams and international secondments to service large, complex transactions and disputes.
Training Contract
Two-year Training Contract comprising four six‑month seats. Trainees rotate through practice areas (seats are allocated in discussion with the Early Careers HR team; candidates may express preferences but allocations are subject to business needs). Each seat places trainees with a partner or associate who supervises professional and pastoral development and trainees take active roles on client work.
- Starting Salary: Year one: £56,000 pa; Year two: £61,000 pa
- NQ Salary: £150,000 pa
- Trainee Intake: 70
- Qualification Rate: 76%
- Academic Requirements: The firm welcomes graduates from all universities with any degree. Law graduates must be eligible to commence SQE studies in the timeline specified; non-law graduates who have completed or are completing the PGDL will be eligible to begin SQE studies. (Specific A-level/GCSE academic requirements are published for other early-career programmes such as apprenticeships and the First Year Programme.)
- Application Deadline: 2025-11-17
Seat Options
- Finance
- Corporate & M&A
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Energy & Natural Resources
- Tax
- Real Estate
- Investment Funds
- Financial Services & Regulation
- International Arbitration
- Intellectual Property
- Technology & Digital
- Regulatory & Compliance
- Insolvency & Restructuring
Sponsorship
PGDL: the firm will pay PGDL course fees and provide a maintenance grant of £12,500 (pro rata if only part of PGDL is required). SQE: the firm will pay SQE course fees and provide a maintenance grant of £20,000. The firm also offers an interest-free loan of up to £2,000 (or up to £2,500 for those undertaking the SQE preparation course) repayable by the end of the Training Contract.
SQE Support
A&O Shearman has partnered with BPP University to deliver SQE preparation. The firm will pay SQE course fees and provides a maintenance grant of £20,000 for SQE preparation. The bespoke 12‑month SQE preparatory programme (designed with BPP) includes an 'Essentials for Practice' strand to prepare trainees for SQE1 and SQE2; the SQE assessments are run by Kaplan.
International Opportunities
Trainees can apply for international secondments in up to 13 offices; the firm specifically cites Dubai, New York and Singapore as secondment destinations. LegalCheek data indicates a c.52% chance of secondment abroad for trainees.
Client Secondments
Client secondments are available to give trainees insight into client businesses; LegalCheek data indicates a c.31% chance of a client secondment for trainees.
Mentorship
Every seat includes supervision by a partner/associate; trainees have dedicated points of contact, a training principal, an HR Early Careers team, and a trainee buddy scheme. The Race & Ethnicity REACH Buddy Scheme is open to vacation scheme participants and the firm promotes ongoing mentoring through networks and formal mentoring programmes.
Programmes & Schemes
A one‑week winter scheme offering final-year students (any degree discipline) insight into firm work, networking, departmental presentations, and practical tasks. Successful candidates are paid and considered for a training contract; REACH Buddy support is offered.
- Duration: 5 days
- Salary: £500 per week
- Deadline: 2025-09-15
Two‑week summer scheme for penultimate‑year students (any degree). The programme includes hands-on tasks, presentations, networking and assessment-centre exposure; successful participants are paid and considered for training contracts.
- Duration: 2 weeks
- Salary: £500 per week
- Deadline: 2025-10-27
A two‑day insight programme for students in first year of a three‑year degree (or second year of a four‑year degree). It includes employability sessions, an assessment-centre masterclass, networking, trainee buddy support and fast-track to the Summer Vacation Scheme assessment centre.
- Duration: 2 days
- Deadline: 2026-02-09
A targeted programme providing work experience and mentoring for talented students from the Black community, including placements and development sessions.
- Duration: 5 days
- Deadline: 2026-03-02
A fully funded six‑year Solicitor Level 7 Apprenticeship combining on-the-job training with one day per week at BPP University (years 1–5) and SQE preparation in years 5–6. Apprentices rotate through departments, receive apprenticeship pastoral support and are paid a salary throughout the programme.
- Duration: 6 years
- Salary: £32,000 in year one (increasing each year); £3,000 sign-on bonus
- Deadline: 2026-02-18
Graduate programme for final‑year students or graduates (any degree) focused on law, technology and operations work across the firm; runs with an autumn 2026 start.
- Duration: Autumn 2026 (programme cohort)
- Deadline: 2026-02-02
Self‑paced virtual work experience delivered via Forage offering modules based on real tasks (Technology & M&A; Employment Law; Derivatives & Structured Finance; Company Essentials) to build practical skills and evidence for applications.
- Duration: Self-paced
A one‑day scheme for year 13 students (predicted AAB at A‑level) that provides an introduction to legal careers, networking and employability sessions with multiple event dates throughout the year.
- Duration: Single day events (multiple dates)
- Deadline: 2026-03-02
Outreach programme for Year 12 students (Smart Start Week and Smart Applications) providing employability support and work experience preparation for students facing socio-economic barriers.
- Duration: Multiple dates (short events across Feb–Mar)
- Deadline: 2026-02-13
Notable Matters
Acted for Bayer on the USD 57 billion financing to support its acquisition of Monsanto. The work was executed across the firm's New York, Frankfurt and London offices and involved multi-jurisdictional financing documentation and coordination.
Banking & Finance
Advised NBAD on its merger with First Bank Gulf PJSC, a transaction creating an institution worth approximately USD 175 billion on completion, involving complex cross-border regulatory and corporate work.
Corporate & M&A
Assisted Kuwait on its first international bond issuance valued at USD 8 billion; a sovereign debt capital markets matter of significant scale requiring cross-disciplinary capital markets, regulatory and financing advice.
Capital Markets
Advised VietJet on its USD 170 million initial public offering on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange, covering equity capital markets work.
Capital Markets
Acted for South Stream Transport (part of Gazprom) in an ICC arbitration with Saipem relating to a major gas pipeline project under the Black Sea into Europe; one of the largest construction arbitrations of recent years.
International Arbitration
Represented Pfizer in enforcement proceedings relating to the Lycria patent against Actavis and generic companies across Europe, involving IP litigation and cross-border enforcement.
Intellectual Property
Supported four syndicates of nine lenders on lease financing for 50 Airbus £30s and £20s to Saudi Arabian Airlines — a large-scale asset finance transaction spanning multiple jurisdictions.
Banking & Finance
Advised on establishment of a joint venture to generate 1,575 megawatts of electricity in Africa, combining project/infrastructure, ENRI and cross-border finance advice.
Infrastructure & Projects
What A&O Shearman Looks For
Key Competencies
- Ambition
- Commitment
- Curiosity
- Commercial awareness
- Collaboration / Teamwork
- Critical thinking
- Resilience
- Attention to detail
- Communication
- Innovation
Evidence Signals
- Commercial work experience or virtual work experience (Forage simulations)
- Vacation scheme or training scheme performance
- Mooting or debate experience demonstrating advocacy and reasoning
- Pro bono and community involvement (e.g., Smart Start, REACH)
- Technology interest or experience (legal tech, coding, data projects)
- Demonstrable examples of teamwork and cross‑cultural or international experience
Benefits & Wellbeing
- Year 1 trainee salary: £56,000 pa
- Year 2 trainee salary: £61,000 pa
- NQ salary: £150,000 pa
- PGDL course fees paid
- PGDL maintenance grant: £12,500
- SQE course fees paid
- SQE maintenance grant: £20,000
- Interest-free loan up to £2,000 (or £2,500 for SQE candidates)
- Private medical insurance
- Dental plans
- Free eye tests
- Flu vaccinations
- Health assessments and nurse services
- In‑house physiotherapy
- On‑site GP service
- Access to wellbeing apps (Headspace, Unmind, Help@hand)
- On‑site gym with classes, fitness studio and sauna
- Multi‑purpose sports hall and sports teams
- Free squash courts nearby
- Season ticket loans (interest-free)
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Electric vehicle scheme
- Payroll giving
- Mortgage advice
- Beauty treatment centre, dry cleaners and onsite restaurants
Wellbeing
AXA Health Stronger Minds pathway, Employee Assistance Programmes, trained mental health advocates and allies (300+ globally), Minds Matter programme, wellbeing events and webinars, on‑demand online training via Unmind and internal wellbeing modules.
Awards & Recognition
- Ranked #7 in the 2023 Social Mobility Employer Index
- Social Mobility Employer of the Year (Student Social Mobility Awards) — upReach (year mentioned on site)
- Stonewall Top Global Employer 2023
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Use of the Rare Contextual Recruitment System (CRS) to review applications in context; participation in social mobility initiatives and external partnerships; membership/engagement with equality, social mobility and mental‑health initiatives (e.g., Stonewall Top Global Employer recognition, Social Mobility Employer Index placement).
- Black Student Lawyer Programme
- A&O Shearman REACH Mentoring Scheme
- Rare Articles (development programme)
- Aspiring Solicitors Women in Law event
- Future City Lawyers / BIUCAC
- Smart Start programme
- Social Mobility Network
- Race & Ethnicity network
- Gender Equality Network
- AccessAbility Network
- LGBTQ+ Network
- Partnerships with Aspiring Solicitors, Rare, The Schools Outreach Company, Uptree, 93% Club, MyPlus Employers' Club, National Student Pride, Forage
Pro Bono
In 2023 the firm provided nearly 111,000 hours of pro bono legal work to NGOs and non‑profits. The firm supports legal advice clinics in London and global human rights organisations, runs community investment programmes (including Smart Start and ReStart) and publishes a pro bono and community investment magazine 'Increasing Access'.
Innovation
A&O Shearman positions innovation and technology at the centre of its service offering. The firm operates Fuse — an innovation lab that brings tech companies and clients together to develop solutions — and a Markets Innovation Group pairing developers, technologists and lawyers. Trainees are exposed to legal tech, eDiscovery and technology-driven projects; insider ratings highlight outstanding legal tech capability (A*).
- Fuse (innovation lab)
- MIG (Markets Innovation Group)
- Legal Tech and eDiscovery teams
- Tech innovation hub and project management support
Quick Application Angles
- Highlight commercial awareness and reference a specific cross‑border deal the firm has done (for example the Bayer USD 57bn financing or the Kuwait USD 8bn bond) to show you understand the scale and international nature of their work.
- Demonstrate interest in legal innovation — mention Fuse or the Markets Innovation Group and give a short example of how you’ve engaged with technology or data in a project or course (the firm scores A* on legal tech).
- Use the Rare Contextual Recruitment System and the firm’s inclusion narrative to contextualise achievement — if applicable, briefly explain barriers overcome and the context for your results.
- If applying for apprenticeship or first‑year programmes, meet the published academic criteria (AAB at A‑level / 7 GCSEs grade 6+ where specified) and reference relevant mentoring or community outreach (Smart Start, REACH) to show fit with their social mobility focus.
- Mention appetite for international exposure and secondments (the firm offers secondments in up to 13 offices and has high chances of overseas secondments) to align with the firm’s cross‑border culture.
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