Training Contracts

During your two-year training contract, you will have four seat rotations, with six months spent in each seat. At least two of these seats will be completed in our core practice areas:

• M&A
• Finance
• Project Development & Finance

The remaining two seats will be allocated on trainee preference and business need, so you get to really consider which areas you might like to experience. The global nature of the firm also allows for one of the four rotations to be completed overseas, in office locations such as New York, Abu Dhabi, Singapore or Brussels.

Learning and development

At Shearman & Sterling we appreciate the need for you to be fully equipped with relevant legal skills to ensure you can perform your role effectively. Underpinning your ‘on the job’ training, is an intensive and comprehensive ongoing structured training programme, which will mean you may be attending training courses at least once a week. This training will be delivered by our own lawyers with support from external providers, such as The University of Law, visiting professors and clients.

Intensive induction, extensive benefits

During your first two weeks at the firm, you’ll take part in an intensive induction programme designed to equip you with all you need to be a success in your first seat. This will give you an overview of the practice areas you can work in, introduce you to the partners and associates and familiarise you with our IT systems.

Training is delivered at an office-wide and practice group level. Trainees will be fully involved in practice group training, which includes workshops, formal lectures and discussion-based know-how meetings. Some practice groups will encourage trainees to deliver a short presentation to kick off a group discussion.

Reviews

To ensure you’re aware of how you are developing, you will receive two reviews during the course of each seat: a mid-seat review and an end-of-seat review.

Your mid-seat review will take place after you’ve been in a practice group for three months. This ensures you understand how you are progressing and gives you the opportunity for your supervisor to formally highlight your strengths and areas of development, which you can act on in the final three months.

Your end-of-seat review will give a full summary of your performance over the past six months and will be conducted with a partner and your supervisor. This is a valuable part of your learning and development with us.

Mentors

On joining the firm you will select a mentor who will act as a support throughout your training contract.

Supervisors

At each seat you will work with an experienced supervisor, who will support your day-to-day development, as well as allocating work. They are typically a senior associate, counsel or partner, so are the best people in the business to learn from, with a wealth of experience when it comes to supervising trainees.

We recruit up to 2 years ahead, so are currently recruiting for our 2019 Training Contract. Candidates should apply in their penultimate year of a law degree (or beyond) or final year of a non-law degree.  We also welcome applications from graduates.