A&O Shearman
Multinational law firm
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Allen Overy Shearman Sterling LLP (commonly A&O Shearman) is a multinational law firm. The firm was formed as a result of a merger between Magic Circle firm Allen & Overy and white shoe firm Shearman & Sterling, creating a firm estimated to have nearly 4,000 attorneys across 49 offices with a combined revenue of $3.4 billion, making it the third biggest law firm in the world.[1]
 | |
| No. of offices | Over 48 worldwide |
|---|---|
| No. of lawyers | Approximately 4,000 |
| Major practice areas | General practice |
| Date founded | 1 May 2024 by merger |
| Company type | Limited liability partnership |
| Website | aoshearman |
History
The terms of the merger between Magic Circle firm Allen & Overy and white shoe firm Shearman & Sterling were announced on 21 May 2023[2] and approved on 13 October 2023 by more than 99% of partners from both firms.[3] The merger was completed on 1 May 2024, making it the fourth-largest law firm in the world.[4][5] Khalid Garousha was elected as senior partner and Hervé Ekué was elected as managing partner of A&O Shearman following the merger.[6]
In September 2024, A&O Shearman announced that they would shut down their South African offices and instead support its Sub-Saharan clients from its other global offices.[7] In January 2025, 57 former members of A&O Shearman in South Africa, including 14 partners, joined Bowmans.[8][9]
Agreement to support Trump administration (2025)
In April 2025, during the targeting of law firms and lawyers under the second Trump administration, A&O Shearman in the United States agreed to a deal with President Donald Trump, committing to provide $125 million in pro bono legal work on behalf of causes endorsed by Trump.[10][11] In July 2026, the Department of Justice subpoenaed A&O Shearman in an investigation of the deal.[12]