Job description

A&O Shearman is a global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in 29 countries worldwide. Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you’re helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to an inclusive environment, and we provide support and ways of working to help you optimise your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us?

We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we redefine success.

Application Process

You will be required to submit an online application which details your work and education history.

You will then be sent an email which will contain a link to complete our online experience. The online experience will include verbal and numerical reasoning items and two short motivation questions to complete via video. The online experience is untimed and should take around 45 minutes. The online experience is designed to provide a realistic preview of what you may experience as a trainee at A&O Shearman as well as give us an insight into your motivations. All parts of the online experience must be completed and submitted by the deadline.

Please note that you can only make one application per recruitment cycle.

Overview

Your training will be based on four six-month rotations across a number of departments or practice areas.

The two-year Training Contract will help you to discover the full range of work we do and the expertise we have in our teams.

In each seat, you will sit with a partner or an associate who will supervise your professional and personal development.

You can expect to take on real responsibility from day one and have the opportunity to apply for secondment in your final 6 months.

Benefits

Gain hands-on experience in an industry-leading law firm.

Access to award winning training.

Dedicated HR support throughout law school and the training contract.

Course fees and maintenance grant.

Requirements

Education

Applicants should be graduates from any degree discipline. We look for excellence in academics and our minimum entry criteria is AAB (136 UCAS points) or equivalent at A-Level and on track for/achieved a 2:1 undergraduate degree.

We do take into account mitigating circumstances, which may have affected your grades.

We’re able to welcome applications from Non-Law Graduates who have commenced their PGDL studies no later than Spring 2026 and will be able to begin their SQE studies in Spring 2027.

Skills

To set yourself apart from the competition and to succeed in our high-performing firm, you’ll need to be:

Open-minded

Innovative

Collaborative

Critical thinker

More information on the attributes we look for can be found on our Law Career Guide.

Key Dates

Applications open on 01 September 2026 and close on 05 October 2026 (5pm UK Time).

Please be advised that we do not recruit on a rolling basis. All applications will be reviewed after the deadline, and you should expect to hear from us after this.

Our Assessment Days will take place the week commencing 09 November 2026.

Inclusion at A&O Shearman

We are an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

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