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Career & Professional Development
Shearman & Sterling provides its lawyers with a rewarding and challenging career. Our lawyers work on high profile international transactions advising many of the world’s leading corporations and financial institutions, governments and governmental organisations. Throughout a career at Shearman & Sterling, lawyers can expect top-quality work, clarity as to expectations and career targets to aim for.
The Career Path
Shearman & Sterling has a formal career development path: Trainee Solicitor > Associate > Mid-Level Associate > Senior Associate > Counsel > Partner. Progress is structured and meritocratic with clearly defined roles and job levels from trainee solicitor to counsel/partner.
We recognise that to succeed in a law firm lawyers need not only excellent legal and technical ability, but also a wide range of business, leadership and management skills. Shearman & Sterling has a competency framework, the "SkillSet", which sets out our expectations at the relevant career levels.
Progression from Trainee Solicitor to Associate is assessed in accordance with the trainee's performance, development potential and the needs of the business. Further advancement to the Mid-level Associate and Senior Associate level are assessed annually in April by reviewing the lawyer's performance in relation to the SkillSet. Performance reviews take place every six months, and provide a great opportunity to review an associate's progress, agree on training and development needs, and plan future responsibilities.
Professional Development
To assist lawyers in obtaining the knowledge and skills to advance their career, Shearman & Sterling has in place an extensive legal and skills training programme.
Our lawyers are encouraged to share their knowledge and expertise with each other through seminars, workshops and know-how meetings. Practice groups within London have developed bespoke legal training programmes and there is an office-wide legal training programme delivered by our own lawyers, leading academics and external experts. Lawyers also receive regular training on essential business skills – such as client care and business development, leadership and people management, presentation and communication skills, and financial management.
Global training conferences in New York provide the opportunity to meet with colleagues from other offices, as well as to receive first-rate training.
The formal training programme supplements the excellent on-the-job training of our lawyers. Our lawyers develop rapidly through working with prominent clients and lawyers, being given high levels of responsibility, and receiving regular feedback and guidance.
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