‘Shearman & Sterling partners will hold very significant leadership positions globally and regionally’ but the top jobs will go to Allen & Overy lawyers for now
All Allen & Overy shortlists have been announced for the new senior and managing partner roles at A&O Shearman.
In anticipation of the current A&O senior and managing partners coming to the end of their terms in April 2024, a month before the mega-merger with Shearman is expected to come into effect, the Magic Circle firm has put forward a number of candidates for the two positions and confirmed the chosen pair will lead the new combined firm.
The shortlisted lawyers include partners from London, New York and Brussels, along with the current managing partners of the Paris, Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi offices.
The winning duo will be announced in March, with the two leaders holding their posts until 2028.
A&O currently takes on 80 trainees a year, with Shearman & Sterling recruiting 12 solicitors-to-be annually in London. It’s not yet known what the total will be after the merger has gone live.
While there are no Shearman candidates up for the top spots this time around, an A&O spokesperson confirmed that:
“Shearman & Sterling partners will hold very significant leadership positions globally and regionally in the combined firm, including within the firm’s executive committee, board, practice group and regional leadership. These positions will be announced in due course.”
The proposed merger between the two global giants was announced earlier this year, with 99% of partners voting in October to confirm the move. The new firm will house nearly 4,000 lawyers, with a 48 offices around the globe.