A&O Shearman

• “I was able to experience an open market system by working in multiple practice areas, including pro bono work. I also received some substantive work while not feeling too overwhelmed with tasks that I wasn’t able to network.”
• “There was a rotational program, which allowed us to get more substantive experience in two practice groups of interest in a much more efficient manner. Tasks did not feel one-off; it felt like you could really build on your experience.”
• “Our firm had frequent training sessions, which introduced all of the practice groups and their functions. This was very helpful and also allowed me to be better prepared for substantive work.”
• “Substantive work including first drafts of share purchase agreements and SEC filings. Client interaction where appropriate.”

• “The summer associates in my class had a pretty close bond. We spent time together doing work and socially outside of work, often enjoying lunch/post social event hangouts together. The summers also had positive interactions with firm attorneys. My favorite events were the group cooking class and the tiki boat party.”
• “There were many social events, and each practice group hosted at least one event over the summer, so people not rotating through each group still had a chance to meet and get to know partners and associates.”
• “One planned activity a week, two lunches, and a self-planned activity a week.”
• “Our summer associate class is very close. The events encourage genuine conversation and bonding rather than just focusing around impressing us and giving us an opportunity to get drinks.”

• “Importance and weight of practice area rankings were different than expected. Environment and collegiality differed from expectations, especially post-merger.”
• “My experience as a summer has translated well to my time at the firm thus far. I am learning a lot, as I expected, and the people with whom I work are helpful and kind. I have felt very supported in my short time at the firm already, and I appreciate the ability to do substantive work so quickly and further my professional development.”
• “At A&O Shearman, you can work on a range of projects with partners and teams from different offices from around the globe. Some partners prefer to work with junior associates on a one-on-one basis while others (depending on the size and complexity of the deal) may typically work in large teams, in which case junior associates will be working more closely with counsels and senior associates.”
• “… The nature of the work I am doing is a bit more advanced than I expected, but in a positive way. I am not just doing due diligence and redlining, I am drafting contract provisions and doing direct client work. This is helpful to my growth and development as an early attorney.”

Summer associates in our New York and Washington, DC, offices will participate in our RotationPlus system with two 5-week practice group rotations.

Each summer associate will be paired with a partner and associate mentor within the practice group who will help summer associates integrate into the firm both professionally and socially – and will be the summer associate’s primary means of work within the practice group. Summer associates can expect to have multiple substantive and social touchpoints with their partner and associate mentors each week. To provide flexibility in exploring practice group interests and customization of the summer associate experience, the Law School Recruitment team will maintain a centralized assignment database that will enable summer associates to explore work outside of their two assigned practice groups.

Some summer associates will have the opportunity to spend time in more than one firm office. For example, during our inaugural 2024 A&O Shearman Summer Program, some U.S. summer associates split with an international office, while others split between two U.S. offices. With more than 40 offices across six continents, there are many split possibilities at A&O Shearman. If you’re interested in splitting your summer, we encourage you to mention this at the outset of the interview process. Office placement decisions are based on the business needs of each office and the degree of summer associate interest, so a separate interview is not necessary.

To learn more about our U.S. summer program, please follow the link to our interactive brochure.

Recruiting Brochure (ceros.com)