A&O Shearman is a global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 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 an inclusive environment, and we provide support and ways of working that 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 will redefine success.
Application Process
You will be required to submit an online application which details your education history and any work experience you may have undertaken. This does not need to be legal experience.
As part of the application, you will also be asked to provide a written response to a motivational question.
Once you have completed the written application form, you will be prompted to complete an online interactive assessment. The interactive assessment will test your adaptability, digital intelligence, applied intellect and creativity. The assessment should only take 30 minutes to complete and there will be practice questions available. You will then be presented with another motivational question to which you will need to record a video response. For the video response you will have unlimited time to prepare but your actual response time will be limited to 2 mins.
You will need to submit your online application form and complete the interactive assessment before the application deadline. We therefore advise you to plan your time in a way that allows you to complete both.
Please note that you can only make one application per recruitment cycle.
Overview
Across the six-year apprenticeship you will gain experience across our legal departments including time in our Finance, Corporate, Disputes and Energy, Natural Resources & Infrastructure (ENRI) Departments. Each year, you’ll gain a wide variety of experience but with the security of a training principal to guide you, with further opportunities for secondments as you progress through your apprenticeship. This will give you the perfect platform for you to gain an unmatched understanding of everything we do, learn, expand your knowledge and ability as a solicitor, and show what you’re capable of at the highest levels.
Benefits:
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Develop practical skills and knowledge, with a chance to work on real projects, live deals, and interesting, challenging cases for clients
Requirements
Education:
Please note, due to funding requirements all candidates must fulfil the criteria associated with the Level 7 apprenticeship levy, including living in the UK for the last three years and having the right to permanently live and work in the UK for the full duration of the apprenticeship.
Skills:
To set yourself apart from the competition and to succeed in our high-performing firm, you’ll need to be:
More information on the attributes we look for can be found on our Law Career Guide.
Applications open 1 December 2025 and close on 18 February 2026 (5pm GMT).
The Apprenticeship will begin in August/September 2026.
Be advised 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 the deadline has passed. Our Assessment Days will take place week commencing 16th March 2026.
