Working life

A (working) life less ordinary

On joining a practice group, trainees become an integral part of the team and are given work to stretch and challenge them on a daily basis. Trainees will work with lawyers at all levels, from partner to counsel to associate across different offices and jurisdictions.

As you would expect coming into a top class firm, you will work hard, but it’s not about who gets in earliest and leaves latest (far from it, in fact). As a trainee at Shearman & Sterling, you will be put through your paces and will work some long hours, but the reward is getting to work on high-profile, headline deals at a level above what your peers at other firms may be accustomed to.

We are immensely proud of our supportive culture and friendly environment. Our open door policy means there are no strangers in the office and real friendships are formed every day. Trainees share an office with the supervisor and forge relationships with their mentor through regular lunches and catch ups. The Graduate Recruitment team and Training Principal are always around for a chat and partners work alongside their teams to share in the efforts and successes of our headline-making deals.

Our trainees also get very involved with the social side of the firm from an early stage, with numerous events to enjoy, both within practice groups and firm-wide: annual Summer and Christmas parties alongside celebrations of the firm’s successes and charity events throughout the year. Our trainees also have a social committee and budget for a quarterly get-together and are integral members of our great sports teams, including Football, Netball, Tag Rugby, Badminton, Golf and Softball – as well as yoga sessions held twice a week in the office! Our mantra: work hard, play hard – but never forget to smile.