Early careers - United States | A&O Shearman careers

Creating unparalleled opportunities

A&O Shearman is the result of combining two of the world’s most prestigious law firms into a single industry-leading firm, preeminent in all legal markets throughout the globe. Our 4,000 lawyers collaborate across 28 countries on six continents.

Our global reach, diversity of practice groups and people, caliber of clients, commitment to innovation and uniquely people-centered culture afford our summer associates opportunities not available at any other firm.

The summer program experience

A professional working outside of the office.

Work and mentorship

Our summer program for 1L and 2L law students allows summer associates to work on cutting-edge work alongside a diverse group of partners and associates. Summer associates in our New York office will participate in our RotationPlus system. Summer associates will participate in two five-week practice group rotations. Each summer associate will be paired with a partner and associate mentor within the practice group who will help summer associates integrate into the firm both professionally and socially – and will be the summer associate’s primary means of work within the practice group. Summer associates can expect to have multiple substantive and social touchpoints with their partner and associate mentors each week.

The firm hosts a pre-summer orientation program early in the year where incoming summer associates will have the opportunity to learn more about and hear from each of the firm’s practice groups. Rotation assignments are based on each summer associate’s practice group rankings, which they will indicate during the onboarding process following pre-summer orientation. To provide flexibility in exploring practice group interests and customization of the summer associate experience, the law school recruitment team will maintain a centralized assignment database that will enable summer associates to explore work outside of their two assigned practice groups. In our RotationPlus system, summer associates are getting the best of both worlds: the support, guidance, structure, and unmatched mentorship inherent to a rotation system - and the flexibility and customization of a centralized assignment system.

For specialty practice groups and offices outside of New York and Washington, summer associates will work primarily with their practice group of hire, but have access to work in other groups through the centralized assignment system (with mentor approval).

Training, professional development and feedback

Summer associates are provided meaningful formal training through A&O Shearman’s Summer Associate University (SAU) training program. Topics include: writing, negotiations, professionalism, research, inclusion, wellness, law firm economics and more. Beyond this formal training program, summer associates gain practical experience through our mentoring system and by working alongside our lawyers, who are experts in their field. During the course of the program, summer associates can expect to regularly receive real-time feedback from the lawyers with whom they are working and collaborating. In addition, summer associates will receive two formal reviews with a member of our recruiting committee, one at the mid-summer point and the other at end-summer. This feedback will help you to accelerate your growth and fine tune your skills early in your career.

Summer associates also play a critical role in the firm’s commitment to pro bono work and serving the communities in which we work. All summer associates take on significant responsibility from day one in pro bono matters that match their areas of interest. Not only does pro bono work better our global communities, but it also allows summer associates to gain important training experience and hone their legal skills from the outset of their careers.

Colleagues collaborating in an office environment.

Events

In addition to lunches, dinners and practice group events, there will be many opportunities for summer associates to meet and get to know attorneys throughout the firm. We recognize these opportunities as one of the most essential elements of your summer associate experience. We will host engaging and interactive social activities once a week that are designed to encourage summer associates and attorneys to get to know each other on an informal basis, and help you integrate into the firm. Popular events that are regularly included in our event “rotation” in various offices include:

Battle of the Bites (cooking competition)
Baseball game
Pickleball
Mini golf
Sailboat cruise
Concerts
Volunteer community art programs
Illusionist show

Two colleagues working together in an office setting.

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Whether you’re applying to A&O Shearman, or any other law firm, this hub will provide you with advice, tips and key information on application processes, interview preparation, and assessment days.

EXPLORE OUR LAW CAREER GUIDE

What to expect longer term

People working together in a professional office environment

Mentoring training and development

A new lawyer’s career path can be daunting - but you won’t be left to find your way on your own. When you start as a full time attorney at A&O Shearman, you’ll be assigned both an associate mentor and a partner mentor to help steer you and cheer you on. But mentoring takes many forms at the firm, from formal programs to the lasting relationships with colleagues and partners that evolve naturally over time.

We invest in you so you can develop your skills early in your career through a variety of training programs and resources. As an entry level associate, you and your entire U.S. first year class will start with a week of training in New York before traveling to your respective office. Your first week of orientation will include the following programs:

Multi-day intensive course specifically for new associates.
Lectures on legal developments by partners and associates.
Department-specific training sessions.
Special courses on topics such as the art of communication, legal writing, risk management, law firm economics and more.

Real-time feedback

In our ongoing efforts to reinvent and improve performance management, we have replaced the traditional annual review process with Compass, a real-time feedback platform to which supervisors regularly post feedback that is immediately available (and thus immediately actionable).

We are committed to fostering a culture that appreciates success and provides real-time actionable feedback.

With Compass, you can expect to:

Gain a clear picture of performance, areas for development, and career potential.
Experience open, honest, two-way career check-ins.
Receive real-time feedback for growth and performance.
Engage in timely, transparent discussions about development and promotion.

Inclusion, community and belonging

By embracing and celebrating differences, we foster an inclusive environment where you can feel comfortable and confident.

Your unique perspective, attributes and experiences are valued at A&O Shearman. Our differences help to shape and inform the best collaborative solutions, foster rich and rewarding work environments and fulfilling working relationships, and provide valuable learning opportunities. Every day, we work to create an environment where everyone feels they can bring their authentic selves to work, and inclusion is a global priority. We have a huge range of characteristics, backgrounds, perspectives, and generations represented at A&O Shearman. Whether there are differences in gender, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, neurodiversity, socio-economic background, generation or any other difference, we embrace these and the intersections among them.

We code inclusion into our culture

Our code of conduct promotes dignity, respect, and doing the right thing with integrity.

We foster relationships based on trust, respect, and inclusivity.

We encourage collaboration and value diverse perspectives.
We promote a sense of community

Our wide range of affinity networks are open to all and welcome individuals from all backgrounds. We’re proud that they not only support the communities they represent, but also provide opportunities for everyone to learn more about those communities and share in enriching events that give insights into each other’s experiences.

Global events and communication series encourage inclusivity, and international offices often collaborate on events, for example, Pride.
We provide training, education and resources, including

Global and local training to increase awareness, support, and allyship.

Programs that support individuals at different career and life stages.

Parental coaching and support for expanding families.

A professional standing outside of the office, looking up.

Shaping success together

The United States is a key part of the firm’s global practice, advising clients across sectors including M&A and private equity, energy, natural resources and infrastructure, and debt finance. Our teams are known for delivering strategic advice on complex transactions, high-value disputes, and regulatory matters, many of which involve cross-border and multi-jurisdictional considerations.

Working closely with colleagues across our international network, our U.S. teams combine market insight with global reach to help clients navigate evolving business environments and achieve their strategic objectives.

Our legal teams support a broad range of clients, from multinational corporations to high-growth businesses, advising on matters that drive commercial performance and long-term success.

Those joining our business teams contribute to the effective operation and continued evolution of our core functions.

Whatever your role, collaboration across teams and disciplines is central to delivering the firm’s strategy and shared ambitions.

LEARN MORE ABOUT WORKING IN THE UNITED STATES

Meet our recruiters

“We are committed to providing you with a positive recruitment experience. We will guide you through the interview stages and are here to answer any questions you have about the firm. We look forward to sharing your journey with us.”