A&O Shearman — solicitor apprenticeship

What drew our apprentice sources to A&O Shearman? “It was the first office I ever visited in London,” one recruit shares. “Both the office itself and the people I met during the A&O insight day were incredibly impressive.” He adds, “I’d be lying if I said the firm’s reputation wasn’t a huge attraction, especially with the training and opportunities available for juniors.”

Another apprentice flags the firm’s inclusive culture. “It really ticked all of my boxes because it’s one of the leading law firms for diversity and inclusion.” The firm’s “friendly” culture is another key appeal. “A lot of people say A&O Shearman is one of the friendlier firms, but during the application process, I realised it’s not just a marketing ploy — everyone was genuinely approachable,” she explains.

The programme is structured around eight seat rotations over six years. What sets A&O Shearman apart is its unique “sub-rotation” system, where apprentices spend time with different teams within each department during the first four years. During this period, apprentices are encouraged to gain experience in the firm’s core practice areas: international capital markets, banking, corporate, and litigation.

One apprentice insider, who spent her first year in litigation, divided her time between four months in business development, two months in e-discovery (a legal tech seat), and six months in a traditional fee-earning role. The opportunity to sit in non-fee-earning seats — areas of the firm outside traditional “legal” roles, such as legal tech — is praised by insiders for providing a “full and rounded insight into how the firm operates in practice”. In years five and six, experienced apprentices join their graduate counterparts on the A&O Shearman training contract, which follows the classic structure of four six-month seats across the firm’s practice areas.

Describing the day-to-day life of an apprentice, one rookie shares, “There are often days when you’re given a task that challenges you, but fortunately, the firm’s support network is huge.” He highlights the dedication of senior staff, saying, “One thing I’ve particularly noticed is how much time senior people are willing to invest in apprentices. Challenging tasks are always well explained and clearly set out with deadlines and resources, so I’ve never felt overwhelmed or without someone to turn to.”

Without revealing any confidential details, this apprentice shares that he’s currently involved in one of the first-ever “opt-out” proceedings brought before an English court. “It’s very experimental, and there’s not much precedent in this area. It’s incredible to witness partners and senior associates tackle novel legal problems,” he says. Not too bad for someone less than two years out of school!

And when it comes to legal education, studying for a law degree part-time doesn’t seem to faze recruits. “We get selective modules,” one insider tells us, “so we’re able to hone our law studies to complement the skills and knowledge that we’re applying in practice”. For example, one rookie explains how he’s currently sitting in the litigation team and studying a module on dispute resolution, “so what I study on a Monday, I’m seeing in practice on a Tuesday afternoon”.

Is it challenging to fit a law degree into one day a week? “I do spend time beyond my study day because I like to be particularly thorough,” admits one A&O Shearman apprentice. “But A&O Shearman are very protective of our study day and they make sure we have nothing work-related to distract us.”

On the firm’s social scene, apprentices assure us that there’s no uni FOMO here. As well as being invited to all of the trainee socials, recruits can expect to hop on the firm-wide socials, team socials, and various networking events. “I feel like there’s too much to choose from!” one apprentice tells us. “There’s definitely a social life as an apprentice — it’s just different.” Indeed, one rookie emphasises, “there’s no point in denying that you will not get the typical freshers uni experience as an apprentice”.

But this recruit, who relocated to the City from the north of England, finds that, “A&O Shearman really encourages apprentices to find a social circle”. He tells us that apprentices are “buddied up with trainees from the get-go, and the firm is very encouraging of mentor relationships as well as socialising with other apprentices”. Big differences tend to be the age and lifestyle of the people you’re hanging out with, we’re told, and obviously there’s no room for turning up to work hungover after a mid-week student night out! But huge attractions include invites to hear influential speakers, puppy therapy sessions, and activities like clay pigeon shooting, golfing, and table tennis.

“It almost feels like a town within a building – the facilities are incredible,” one apprentice says when asked about the firm’s impressive London office. Coming from a previous job in a garden centre housed in a “shabby warehouse,” the corporate office scene was a stark contrast.

Now, this apprentice makes full use of the luxurious amenities: “I regularly use the office gym, which has personal trainers, a sauna, and a court for basketball and squash. There’s also a restaurant and cafés on-site,” they share, adding, “it’s great for internal networking.”

What advice would A&O Shearman apprentices give to hopefuls? “Don’t sweat it — A-levels are your priority,” one apprentice says. “But, when you apply to a firm,” he continues, “don’t just apply for its name or its brand. Think of a reason why you genuinely like the firm.” Another good interview tip, he says, is to “think of something you have that nobody else has because that creates an interview (and an interviewee) which is memorable”.

This is A&O Shearman’s Solicitor Apprenticeship profile. Read A&O Shearman’s full Legal Cheek profile here.