Smart Start Programme

Smart Start is a unique work experience scheme designed to provide students from lower socio-economic backgrounds everything they need to kickstart a career in legal or professional services.

Build your future.

What you’ll gain

Every year, we offer high-quality work experience and skills training for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, as part of our flagship social mobility programme, Smart Start. Since its launch in 2009, it has supported and inspired 1,900 students.

Work Experience

Smart Start Week is held at the A&O Shearman London office in July and is open to Year 12 or equivalent students. Over the course of five days, you’ll take part in workshops and tackle challenges.

Alternatively, in year 12 you can join us through Smart Start Applications, the virtual work-related learning programme made up of eight live evening webinars, including sessions on university and apprenticeship applications and how to develop your employability skills.

Growth and Development

Throughout this programme, we strive to support you with exceptional professional and personal development – providing training and practical experience, so you can learn and grow at your highest level.

Programme Overview

Our social mobility programme Smart Start is run in partnership with Causeway Education.

There are two experiences for you to choose from:

Smart Start Week, our in-person work experience for year 12 students or equivalent; or Smart Applications, our online programme for year 12 or equivalent students.

What we look for

This programme gives you the opportunities you need to expand your skills and experience what life here is really like. It’s the chance for you to start your journey early and develop your legal expertise.

Eligibility

You’ll need to:

• Be in Year 12
• Have always attended a state-funded or non-fee-paying school
• Be a UK national or EU national with settled status in the UK by the time they apply for university.

You’ll also need to meet at least one of the following additional criteria:

• Come from a household where no parent or guardian has attended university
• Receive, or have previously received free school meals, Pupil Premium, Education Maintenance Allowance or a 16 to 19 Bursary Fund
• Be or have been in local authority care
• Be or have been a full-time or part-time young carer
• Come to the UK as a refugee or asylum seeker
• Come from a household where a parent or carer has served in the regular armed forces
• Be attending a school or college with:
  • below average A level or Scottish Highers points score, and/or
  • a low rate of progression to higher education.

Students who meet more than one additional criterion are more likely to receive a place on either programme.

Skills to succeed

Below are the essential skills needed to thrive on this programme. From making meaningful contributions to our team and clients, to facing legal challenges, these skills will help you excel with us.

• Ambition - You’re determined to achieve a first-class legal career and tackle challenges along the way.
• Curiosity - You want to find out more about the firm, our culture, the clients we work with and the sectors we operate in.
• Drive - You’re prepared to tackle every challenge and overcome obstacles to achieve your goals.