Perth 2026/27 Summer Clerks

Job description

A&O Shearman’s Perth office is now accepting applications for penultimate year students currently completing an Australian Law degree to join us for a Summer Clerkship 2026/27 program.

Our Summer Clerkship program is key to our Graduate campaign, and we envisage recruiting our 2028 graduate positions through the 2026/27 Summer Clerkship program.

A&O Shearman is a global industry-leading law firm, with 48 offices in 28 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 diversity, equity and inclusion and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimize your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.

What we look for
We realise that each applicant brings their own unique skills. However, we do look for certain characteristics in all our applicants. Applicants should be in their penultimate year of an Australian Law degree and should have excellent academic results. If you are applying outside or your penultimate year, please state the reasons why this is the case in your application. Beyond this we want to see evidence of teamwork, communication skills, planning and organisation, problem solving, commercial awareness and commitment – to a career in law, and to a career with A&O Shearman.

Applications from interstate and overseas students are welcome however you will need to demonstrate a commitment to starting your legal career in Perth and have the right to work in Australia at the time of the clerkship.

How to apply
Applications will only be accepted through our website by following the link below. Applicants must answer the application questions, include a cover letter, CV and most recent academic transcript (undergraduate and/or any non-Legal degree should also be included) as part of their application.

Please note that the education, work experience and skills sections within the application are optional.

After submitting your application, you will be prompted to complete an immersive video based Situational Judgement Test (SJT), taking around 30 minutes. The SJT is designed to provide a realistic preview of what you may experience as a graduate at A&O Shearman. You will be given 24 hours in which to complete the exercise. We encourage you to submit your online application at least 24 hours prior to the deadline (26 July 2026) to give you time to complete both the online application and SJT by the deadline. View sample situational judgement question.

Closing date
The closing date for applications is 11:59pm Sunday 26 July 2026. Applications will be reviewed immediately after the closing date and we will contact applicants who are successful by mid August 2026 as we undertake a thorough review of all applications. Interviews will then commence end of August 2026.

Those successful for an interview will be invited to attend an information evening prior to your interview which will be held on Wednesday 19 August 2026 at the Perth A&O Shearman office.

We wish you all the very best with your application.

Good luck!

Equal Employment Opportunity
A&O Shearman are committed to supporting a culture that drives inclusion. Every day, we’re working hard to create an environment where everyone feels that they can bring their authentic selves to work. To be comfortable and confident to be who they are in the workplace. To feel like they belong.

We welcome applications from people of all ages, genders, sexual orientation, cultural backgrounds, family or caring responsibilities, and people living with a disability. If you need any support to fully participate in the application process,please contact Australian Recruitment for guidance.