STEM Students
Reimagine your horizon.
Overview
You don’t need a law degree to become a lawyer.
The world is becoming increasingly technology-focused. At Allen & Overy, we're on a mission to create a collaborative community of the best minds from all degree subjects, including those with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) backgrounds, to help us break new ground with clients from a variety of exciting sectors.
Whatever practice area we work in, whatever role we take on, a logical mindset and curious nature flows throughout everything we do. We thrive on our diversity of thought and perspectives and that’s why we’re focused on attracting more students from STEM degree disciplines to help solve our clients’ most complex legal and commercial challenges. So, if you’re looking to use your STEM background and work on high-profile cases that are changing the world, we want to hear from you.
With a STEM degree, you’re at ease with complex processes and problem solving: both skills you can transfer to a career in law. You can also add commercial value with clients who operate in sectors such as Life Sciences or Telecommunications, Media and Technology. Wherever you specialise, you’ll bring a valuable and critical skill set that will help you excel throughout your career.
George Moxey – Associate, ICM
Studied Chemistry at the University of Bristol
“At university, some of my friends were studying Law and I started to become interested and more aware of the opportunities available to them. I learned about the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) which is a conversion course for those who don’t have a law degree and that got me thinking. After spending a summer doing work experience in a local law firm, I was hooked. I’ve never looked back.
The seat I’m in at the moment is called Securitisation; we advise on negotiating all the transaction documents between investors and financial institutions. It’s complex work that needs to be communicated clearly and concisely. Clients don’t want reams and reams of information when they ask a question; they want a straightforward summary, which I think is something that STEM students are well-versed in.
In my chemistry degree, I was writing about things like reaction mechanisms, formulating how those break down and conveying that on a piece of paper for somebody else to follow. Now I’m using my analytical skills to package complex legal jargon into terms that clients can understand. Having a background in a STEM subject can be advantageous like that.”
Nassim Ikhlef – Associate, Corporate
Studied Maths at Imperial College London
“At university I was initially interested in a career in financial services. I then met Allen & Overy at a careers fair and was impressed by the people who were very friendly and welcoming. That was the first time that I thought that commercial law might be a better career path for me.
I joined the university law society after meeting representatives from Allen & Overy, mainly to meet any other students like me who were interested in a career in law. I think the best source of information is often your peers. It was really helpful to understand how application processes worked and how the industry worked. I learnt a lot that helped me to decide that law truly was for me.
One of the things I realised was that there are plenty of parallels between maths and law, one being that there are a lot of rules that have to be applied correctly and you can’t make mistakes. I think that’s why Allen & Overy are interested in hiring STEM students. They want to harness a unique set of skills: analytical thinking, problem solving and also their appreciation for science, which is becoming much more prominent and prevalent in society today.”
Opportunities
Your future starts here.
Your career isn’t a destination – it’s a journey. And just like any journey, the first steps can seem daunting but we will support you to find your way at every stage. Whether it’s attending an Open Day or starting a Training Contract, we offer a wide range of opportunities for you to learn about our firm, get valuable experience and start your career.
Videos
Visit our Virtual Campus page, and tune into our range of podcasts and videos.
First Year Programme
A&O First is a scheme aimed at first year students and is a precursor to our vacation schemes.
Vacation Schemes
Our Vacation Schemes are a great way to experience our cutting-edge work and collaborative culture.
Training Contract
Starting a Training Contract with Allen & Overy is just the beginning of what will be a stimulating and rewarding legal career.
LawTech Graduate Programme
Find out more about how you could drive transformation at the heart of the firm.
Graduate Consulting Programme
Learn about how we develop innovative solutions to facilitate business growth for our clients.