A global law firm formed in 2024 from the merger of London's Allen & Overy and New York's Shearman & Sterling. Its London vacation schemes pay £500 a week.
A&O Shearman is one of the largest law firms in the world. Companies, banks and governments hire it to help with big deals, such as buying another business, raising money, arguing a major court case or following complex regulation. It is known in London as one of the 'Magic Circle', the nickname for five elite City firms. Legal Cheek reported at the merger that it had nearly 4,000 lawyers in 48 offices across 29 countries.
The firm was created on 1 May 2024 by joining two older firms. Allen & Overy was founded in London on 1 January 1930 by George Allen and Thomas Overy (Wikipedia), and became a leading City firm; its history includes arranging the first Eurobond in the 1960s. Shearman & Sterling is a New York firm. The partners of both voted overwhelmingly in October 2023 to merge. The London headquarters is at One Bishops' Square, with plans to move to 2 Broadgate near Liverpool Street station by 2027. Khalid Garousha is senior partner and Denise Gibson is UK managing partner (as at May 2024).
We did not find a formal mission statement. The London careers page describes a friendly, supportive and dynamic culture, with mentoring, training and a buddy scheme run by the firm's race and ethnicity network, open to everyone on its schemes. Related content gives its core values as belonging and excelling. These are the firm's own descriptions, so ask current trainees what they feel like day to day.
Its main areas are corporate and mergers and acquisitions (advising on company deals), banking and finance (law for banks and lenders), and disputes (resolving legal arguments), with teams for competition, tax, real estate, employment and more. Wikipedia notes that in 2010 Allen & Overy let full equity partners work part-time, believed to be a first at a major international firm.
For young people, the London vacation schemes are open to students in any degree subject. The winter scheme is for final-year undergraduates and the summer scheme for penultimate-year undergraduates. Applicants need AAB at A-level (136 UCAS points) or equivalent, to be on track for a 2:1, and seven GCSEs at grade 6 or above including maths and English, with mitigating circumstances considered. Pay is £500 a week. For 2026 to 2027, winter applications closed on 7 September 2026, and summer applications run from 14 September to 9 November 2026 for a scheme on 5 to 16 July 2027. The process is an online application, an online test with video questions, and an assessment day with two interviews. Before the merger, Allen & Overy took on about 80 trainees a year in London and Shearman about 12; the current number was not confirmed. The firm lists other early careers programmes that we did not read.
Website: www.aoshearman.com
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