Responsible business

At A&O Shearman, we are focused on having a positive and lasting impact on our clients, our people, and wider society. We believe that making a meaningful difference comes from combining legal excellence with a genuine commitment to progress, innovation, and responsibility.

Six hands stacked in the center, showing diverse skin tones and blurred background.

That’s why we’re setting new standards in inclusion, social impact, pro bono, sustainability, and wellbeing.

We are committed to cultivating a culture where people feel they belong, high performance is sustainable, peoples’ voices are heard, and our skills and resources are leveraged to address global and local social and environmental issues.

This is underpinned by robust governance to ensure we operate our business responsibly and ethically, and in balance with the main global challenges represented by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

By integrating these principles into our daily operations, we aim to do our part in creating a better future for all stakeholders.

podcast series

Voices for Change

An image of Khalid Garousha and Justin Farrance recording a podcast episode

Voices for Change by A&O Shearman brings together a community of inclusive thinkers and thought leaders. Join senior manager, Justin Farrance, as he interviews colleagues and clients about their personal stories, commitment to inclusion and advice for others to learn from. Stay up to date with new episodes on the link below.

Browse all episodes

Awards and recognition

Rated in the top 100 of the Corporate Equality Index as a leader in LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 2026.
One of the top ten best performing private companies in the FTSE Women Leaders Review.
First law firm to be awarded the Inclusion+ Silver 2026 label from AFL Diversity in France, in recognition of our actions and impact in driving inclusion across the firm.
Awarded ‘Health Creating’ accreditation in MindForward Alliance’s UK Thriving at Work Assessment 2026. The ‘Health Creating’ accreditation recognizes that we are ‘going beyond the standards’ set in the Thriving at Work Guide, with a strong commitment to supporting the well-being of our people.

Best pro bono initiative of the year for our work with the Afghan Pro Bono Initiative (APBI) at the LexisNexis UK Awards 2026.
Corporate Partner of the Year at the 2026 Power of Women for our decade‑long partnership with Dress for Success Greater London.
219 of our UK lawyers were named on the 2026 Pro Bono Recognition List for completing at least 25 pro bono hours, reflecting their commitment to expanding access to justice.
Recognized by the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice (part of the NYC Bar Association) for our work on a number of projects, including one with the Vance Center and Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, as part of the 2026 Celebration of International Pro Bono Excellence.
Blended Finance Deal of the Year at the Global Banking & Markets Awards: Latin America & Caribbean 2026 for the Ecuador Nature Bonds transaction.