Application Deadline : 7 December 2025

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We run two four-week Vacation Schemes in our Hong Kong office every summer, in June and July. As part of the scheme, you will gain real and valuable experience from day one, working alongside our lawyers on live deals and cases. During the four-week structured program, you will have the opportunity to sit in two practice groups for two weeks each. In each seat, you will be assigned a dedicated trainer and a trainee buddy.

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In addition to your legal work, you will attend training sessions and presentations aimed at broadening your understanding of our business and helping you to develop the skills you need to be a successful commercial lawyer.​​

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Applications are welcomed from penultimate and final year law students, or final year non-law students at university in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and other common law jurisdictions.

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We are also looking for individuals who can demonstrate consistently strong academic performance, so we expect you to be heading for at least 2:1 or equivalent for your law degree or JD. To work in Hong Kong, you will also ideally possess Chinese (written and spoken) language skills.

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Prior legal experience is not a requirement. You should make the most of any work-related experience that you have, regardless of the discipline, and focus on what you have learned and observed and how this will apply to your legal career.

Students will need to be available for the entire duration – we are unable to have students leaving early or joining late.

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The first stage involves completing an online application form. You will need to submit your CV, a cover letter, and your most recent academic transcript. Creating an application that stands out from the rest of the crowd and sells your skills can be a challenge. In the first instance, make sure that you know exactly what’s required by familiarizing yourself with the selection criteria. Our assessment framework is available for you to gain a deeper understanding of what we are looking for.

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​You will then be sent an email which will contain a link to complete an interactive assessment. The assessment will include verbal and numerical reasoning items and two short motivation questions to complete via video. The interactive assessment is untimed and should take around 45 minutes. The interactive assessment is designed to provide a realistic preview of what you may experience as a trainee at A&O Shearman as well as give us an insight into your motivations.

Application link: https://www.aoshearman.com/en/careers/china-hong-kong/students-and-graduates