Law firm A&O Shearman was formed in 2024 via the merger of Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling. The firm needed to increase applications from under-represented backgrounds, including Black heritage, non-Russell Group universities and lower socio-economic backgrounds.

ThirtyThree harnessed A&O’s Belong.Excel employer brand to deliver an early talent campaign that would challenge elitism in the legal sector. This would drive awareness across the target audiences through programmatic advertising, use employee advocacy and storytelling via Instagram, and reach new people via paid ads on TikTok. These messages would then drive potential applicants to an enhanced careers site, supported by SEO and sponsored Google Search. On top of this, events with lawyers, recruiters, and an interactive student diversity event supported the campaign.

Storytelling films asked the audience ‘what’s law got to do with it?’ and showcased lawyers from social mobility backgrounds discussing their journeys. The campaign surpassed its goals with an impressive increase in applications from non-Russell Group graduates, non-law students and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. The law career guide that accompanied the campaign achieved more than 42,000 organic page views, and A&O Shearman rose six places in the Social Mobility Index.