A partner case-study interview gives candidates 40 minutes to analyse a fictional case and prepare responses.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceThe assessment day starts with a partner case study interview; you'll be given a case study along with some questions 40 minutes before your partner interviewer joins. In this time, you will read the case study and prepare responses to the questions given. These could be emails, financial statements etc. that form the basis of a fictional case.
Simulation · Observed 9 September 2026 · Verified 9 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-017 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman publishes an 'assessment framework' of attributes and skills for applications, interviews and assessment days; on the page these attributes are grouped under Change agility, People agility, Mental agility and Solutions agility headings.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceEvery law firm will have a set of attributes and skills that they look for in a candidate. At A&O Shearman, we call this the assessment framework. Here, you can access our assessment framework and use it to help you create a high-quality application or prepare for interviews or assessment days.
Competency model · Observed 9 September 2026 · Verified 9 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-018 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A first-year programme can fast-track participants to the summer vacation-scheme assessment centre.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceAs part of the scheme you will have: Advice and guidance from our early careers recruitment team; A two-day insight scheme in April and an assessment centre masterclass in September where we will immerse you in the firm and all our offerings; Ongoing support from a trainee 'buddy'; Peer support - you will get to know students from other universities and degree disciplines also on the scheme; and You will be fast tracked to an assessment centre for the summer vacation scheme.
Fast track · Observed 9 September 2026 · Verified 9 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-019 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman states that candidates may use AI responsibly to complement rather than substitute their skills, including refining CVs, applications and written responses, while requiring honest representation of skills and experience.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceA&O Shearman says AI can help refine a CV, application and written responses, but should complement rather than substitute the candidate's voice and capabilities and must not misrepresent skills.
United Kingdom · Early careers recruitment · AI preparation and application · Observed 13 September 2026 · Verified 13 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-117 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's London early-careers FAQ states that it does not use AI at any point during its recruitment process and that all assessments and decisions are made by its team.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceWe do not use AI at any point during our recruitment process; all assessments and decisions are made by our team.
London · Early careers recruitment · Employer AI and human decision · Observed 13 September 2026 · Verified 13 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-118 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's London early-careers FAQ states that candidates can apply for only one opportunity in each recruitment cycle.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceCandidates can only apply for one opportunity each recruitment cycle.
London · Early careers programmes · Application limit · Observed 13 September 2026 · Verified 13 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-118 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's London training-contract page publishes an online application followed by an online experience containing situational judgement, verbal and numerical reasoning and two video motivation questions; successful candidates then attend an assessment day with two one-to-one interviews, including a commercial case-study presentation and a scenario-based interview.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceOnline application; online experience with SJT, verbal and numerical reasoning and two video motivation questions; assessment day with two one-to-one interviews, including a commercial case study and scenario questions.
London · Training Contract · Training contract selection architecture · Observed 13 September 2026 · Verified 13 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-119 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's London training-contract process explicitly places two one-to-one interviews after the online application and online experience, providing current official evidence of human assessment after digital stages.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceIf the application is successful, the next stage is an assessment day comprising two one-on-one interviews.
London · Training Contract · Human judgement after digital assessment · Observed 13 September 2026 · Verified 13 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-119 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official London Training Contract page lists being on track for, or having achieved, a 2:1 undergraduate degree.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceAAB (136 UCAS points) or equivalent at A-Level and on track for/achieved a 2:1 undergraduate degree.
London · Training Contract - London · University grade requirement · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-119 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official London Vacation Schemes page states that its academic requirements include being on track for, or having achieved, a 2:1 undergraduate degree.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceOur academic requirements are AAB (136 UCAS points) or equivalent at A-Level and on track for/achieved a 2:1 undergraduate degree.
London · Vacation Schemes - London · University grade requirement · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-168 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official London First-Year Programme page lists being on track for a 2:1 at university.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceAAB (or equivalent) at A-level and on track for a 2:1 at university. We require seven GCSEs at grade 6 or above (including Maths and English)
London · First-Year Programme - London · University grade requirement · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-019 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official London early careers page states that candidates who fail the online experience must wait until the next cycle to reapply.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceIf you do not pass the online experience, you will have to wait until the next recruitment cycle to reapply.
London · Early careers - London (all programmes) · Application limits · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-118 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official London Vacation Schemes page states that all vacation scheme participants will be considered for a training contract.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceAll those successful in gaining a vacation scheme place will be paid GBP500 per week and will be considered for a training contract.
London · Vacation Schemes - London · Conversion route · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-168 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official London Vacation Schemes page states that the Winter 2026 scheme requires applicants to be in their final year of any degree discipline.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceFor our Winter 2026 Vacation Scheme, you will need to be in your final year of study in any degree discipline.
London · Winter 2026 Vacation Scheme · Degree timing · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-168 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official London Vacation Schemes page states that the Summer 2027 scheme requires applicants to be in their penultimate year of any degree discipline.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceFor our Summer 2027 Vacation Scheme, you need to be in your penultimate year in any degree discipline.
London · Summer 2027 Vacation Scheme · Degree timing · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-168 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official London First-Year Programme page states that the programme is for students in their first year of a three-year, or second year of a four-year, undergraduate degree.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourcestudents in their first year of a three-year (or second year of a four-year) undergraduate degree
London · First-Year Programme - London · Degree timing · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-019 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official London Training Contract page lists AAB (136 UCAS points) or equivalent at A-level.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceAAB (136 UCAS points) or equivalent at A-Level and on track for/achieved a 2:1 undergraduate degree.
London · Training Contract - London · School-level grades · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-119 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official London Training Contract page states that seven GCSEs at grade 6 or above including Maths and English are required.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceWe also require seven GCSEs at grade 6 or above (including Maths and English). We do take into account mitigating circumstances.
London · Training Contract - London · School-level grades · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-119 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official London early careers page states that mitigating circumstances, including disability-related ones, affecting school or university grades are taken into account via a space on the application form.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceWe do take into account mitigating circumstances, including those relating to a disability, which may have affected your grades either at school or university and there is a space on the application form to include these.
London · Early careers - London (all programmes) · School-level grades · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-118 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official London Training Contract page states that applications close on Monday 5 October 2026.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceApplications close: Monday 5th October 2026
London · Training Contract - London · Application timing and deadlines · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-119 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official London Vacation Schemes page states that Summer 2027 applications close on Monday 9 November 2026.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceApplications close: Monday 9th November 2026
London · Summer 2027 Vacation Scheme · Application timing and deadlines · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-168 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official London Training Contract page states that graduates from all universities with any degree are welcome.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceWe're able to welcome graduates from all universities with any degree.
London · Training Contract - London · University access · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-119 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official guidance page on using AI responsibly in the application process states that directly inputting questions into AI and using the responses word for word, or asking AI to answer test questions, isn't advisable.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceDirectly inputting questions into AI, then using the responses word for word or asking AI to answer test questions for you isn't advisable
Not stated (firm AI guidance page) · Early careers recruitment · AI policy · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-117 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
A&O Shearman's current official guidance page on using AI responsibly in the application process states that candidates who have used AI in their application or preparation should be ready to discuss this, including the questions they asked AI and how they refined its responses.
Evidence passage recorded against the sourceIf you've used AI in your application and/or preparations, be ready to discuss this with us. We're interested in the questions you asked AI and how you refined the responses from it.
Not stated (firm AI guidance page) · Early careers recruitment · AI policy · Observed 16 September 2026 · Verified 16 Sep 2026 · Source SRC-117 (careers.aoshearman.com) · source record
Research programme of Elite Careers Strategy