A&O First Participant Review
at A&O Shearman
Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)
Commercial Law
London
Review Submitted: September 2021
Overall Rating
4.9 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
5/5
-
Overview of Experience
4.8/5
-
Skills Development
5/5
-
Company Culture
5/5
-
Overall Experience
5/5
-
Recommendations and Advice
Overview of Experience
Please give an overview of the insight and what was involved on a day-to-day basis.
The programme consisted primarily in talks from members of the firm, which covered practice area introductions, ESG-related topics, Diversity and Inclusion and the firms' networks, and practical application guidance among others. There were also interactive workshops and games, as well as many opportunities for networking, not least with the personal mentor assigned to each participant. Finally, the scheme also included an office tour and various social events for the whole cohort.
What was it like understanding all about the business and potential roles available?
It was really rewarding to be immersed in the firm; the scheme was very comprehensive and this has made me confident that the firm is the right place to start my career.
Please rate how insightful you found the insight
5/5
How would you rate the structure of the insight
5/5
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
I have mainly developed existing skills, including communication and networking (both virtually and in-person), teamwork and basic legal analytical abilities. My learning has been primarily content-based; the scheme allows you to gain a huge amount of knowledge about the firm.
How would you rate the training provided during your experience?
5/5
How would you rate the knowledge learned around industry-specific skills during the experience?
5/5
How would you rate the knowledge learned around personal or professional skills during the experience?
4/5
Please rate how the knowledge learned has helped you with regards to your career development
5/5
Company Culture
How would you rate business leader involvement during the insight
5/5
What was the company culture and general atmosphere like?
The A&O people I met throughout the scheme were invariably kind, helpful and interesting, meaning the general atmosphere was one of support, acceptance and dynamic exchange.
How would you rate the inclusiveness of the culture?
5/5
How would you rate the networking opportunities?
5/5
Please rate how valued you felt during your insight?
5/5
Overall Experience
To what extent did you enjoy the insight?
I greatly enjoyed the insight: the firm culture was fantastic (as already discussed), the people I got to meet (both at the firm, and fellow participants) were always a joy to talk to, and I came away feeling I had gained valuable knowledge, experience and, consequently, confidence.
Please rate your level of enjoyment on the insight
5/5
Please rate how your experience met your expectations
5/5
Were you paid or reimbursed adequately for this experience?
I was not paid and had no expenses
Recommendations and Advice
Please rate the future employment prospects at A&O Shearman
5/5
Would you recommend A&O Shearman to a friend?
Yes
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to A&O Shearman
For the application: back yourself (!), especially for the commercial application question and the commercial part of the interview. You do not need to make overly complex or detailed points all the time-- logical, considered comments are always valid and positive, even if they seem unexceptional.
For the scheme: do not hesitate to ask questions-- everybody at A&O was more than willing to answer as many questions as they could, and their responses were invariably helpful and/or insightful.
For the scheme: do not hesitate to ask questions-- everybody at A&O was more than willing to answer as many questions as they could, and their responses were invariably helpful and/or insightful.
