Trainee Solicitor Review
at A&O Shearman
Graduate Job
Commercial Law, Corporate Law, Legal/Law
London
Review Submitted: November 2025
Overall Rating
4 /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!
3.8/5
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Overview of the Role
4.2/5
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Experience & Company Culture
4/5
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Recommendations & Advice
Overview of the Role
Overall, how would you describe your experience at A&O Shearman?
An amazing firm to train at which gives you great opportunities to work for leading clients on large deals whilst enjoying a collaborative, friendly and inclusive culture
What are the main responsibilities of the role and which elements of the role do you enjoy the most?
Project management (email and file management), preparing first drafts of documents, reviewing comments from the other side, preparing presentation materials, assisting with billing, liaising with clients, attending meetings
I enjoyed drafting documents and liaising with clients
I enjoyed drafting documents and liaising with clients
To what extent does your role give you the opportunity to contribute meaningfully and feel valued by your team?
4/5
How does your compensation package - including perks & benefits - fairly remunerate you for the work you do?
3/5
I believe trainee compensation could be higher due to the long hours at times but the other perks e.g. onsite gym, medical team and private medical insurance make up for it!
How well do you feel the role is preparing you for your future career?
4/5
How would you rate the extent to which you were developing new or existing skills through formal training and your day-to-day role?
4/5
Experience & Company Culture
How is the support you receive?
5/5
How is your work-life balance?
3/5
It varies from team to team and depends on the busyness of the market. However, even on busy deals senior staff recognise your hard work and encourage you to take breaks/enjoy annual leave and weekends
What is the organisational culture, values and general atmosphere like?
5/5
A truly collegiate culture where everyone wants you to learn and you are encouraged to ask questions etc.
How would you rate A&O Shearman initiatives when it comes to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility?
4/5
A wide range of networks you can join, could perhaps do more for women in the legal profession
How would you rate A&O Shearman CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiatives?
4/5
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend A&O Shearman to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Incredibly friendly and collegiate culture
A wide range of exciting clients who want to do market leading deals
Very intelligent and motivated colleagues which make for an exciting team dynamic with lots of opportunities to learn
A wide range of exciting clients who want to do market leading deals
Very intelligent and motivated colleagues which make for an exciting team dynamic with lots of opportunities to learn
How well did the role match your expectations based on the recruitment process?
4/5
When considering the recruitment & onboarding process, have you any specific tips or advice you would give to others applying to A&O Shearman?
Tell them the full range of your experiences in your application (legal and non-legal). You need so many transferrable skills as a trainee solicitor (most of which I learnt in non-legal roles originally)
Winter Vacation Scheme Student
at A&O Shearman
- Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)
- Liverpool St, London EC2M 7PY, UK
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5
