A&O Shearman

A&O Shearman holds Band 1 rankings in Chambers for Corporate/M&A, Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, International Arbitration, and Project Finance across multiple global jurisdictions. The legacy Allen & Overy platform brings dominant European finance capabilities, while the legacy Shearman & Sterling practice contributes deep strength in U.S. capital markets, M&A, and financial institutions regulatory work. The combined firm's project finance, international arbitration, and cross-border M&A practices rank among the strongest in the world. Its antitrust and competition practice spans both U.S. and EU regulatory regimes.

A&O Shearman operates a hybrid assignment system, summer associates select two practice groups for rotations but can also explore work outside those groups through a centralized assignment database, offering both structure and flexibility. Interviewers focus on getting to know candidates as people rather than running through credentials mechanically. The callback process typically involves a one-hour screener followed by a two-hour callback, and candidates report that the atmosphere is conversational and genuinely welcoming. The firm invests in professional development through structured training academies and cross-border secondment opportunities.

The A&O Shearman merger combined two firms with storied histories. Allen & Overy was founded in 1930 and helped draft the Marshall Plan, while Shearman & Sterling counted Jay Gould and James Fisk among its earliest clients. The resulting firm gives associates the rare opportunity to work within a truly integrated transatlantic platform from day one, with the institutional knowledge of both Magic Circle and White Shoe traditions.