Allen & Overy
| Company type | Limited liability partnership |
|---|---|
| Industry | Legal services |
| Founded | January 1, 1930 in London, England |
| Founder | George Allen, Thomas Overy |
| Defunct | 2024 |
| Fate | Merged with Shearman & Sterling to form A&O Shearman |
| Headquarters | London , England, United Kingdom |
Area served | Worldwide (Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America, Middle East) |
Key people | Gareth Price (Managing Partner as of 2020), Wim Dejonghe (Senior Partner as of 2020) |
| Products | Legal services; software platforms including ContractMatrix and Harvey; legal innovation hub Fuse; online platforms aosphere and Peerpoint |
Number of employees | Over 5,800 staff globally |
| Website | www |
Allen & Overy LLP was a multinational British law firm based in London, England. The firm employed more than 5,800 staff globally and had 590 partners. In 2023, its reported revenue reached GBP 2.1 billion, making it the second highest-grossing law firm headquartered in the UK. In 2024, it combined with Shearman & Sterling to establish A&O Shearman.
History
Established in London on 1 January 1930 by George Allen and Thomas Overy—previously partners at Roney & Co.—the firm was created with the objective of developing a commercial legal practice. Its prominence increased significantly after George Allen provided counsel to King Edward VIII during the 1936 abdication crisis. By the time of World War II, it had secured its position as a leading law firm in the City.
The firm was instrumental in landmark legal events, including advising on London's inaugural hostile takeover and representing S. G. Warburg & Co. It facilitated the first Eurobond issuance during the 1960s, broadening its expertise into finance and corporate sectors. Throughout the 1970s, its corporate and finance practices expanded both within the UK and internationally.
By 1996, revenue from clients outside the UK surpassed that from domestic clients; by 1998, international clients contributed two-thirds of total income. In 1999, Allen & Overy strengthened its banking and finance team in Paris by recruiting from ally Gide Loyrette Nouel. The following year, it merged with parts of Loeff Claeys Verbeke’s offices located in Amsterdam, Brussels, and Luxembourg.
In May 2004, the firm transitioned into a limited liability partnership (LLP), operating worldwide through affiliated entities. By July 2008, Allen & Overy’s turnover exceeded £1 billion, with more than half generated outside London.
In response to the 2008 financial crisis, the firm implemented a global redundancy plan that eliminated 400 positions, including 47 partners and approximately 200 fee-earners. It also separated its private client division into Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP.
In 2014, Allen & Overy became the first Magic Circle firm to establish a presence in sub-Saharan Africa by opening an office in Johannesburg.
A 2021 analysis listed Allen & Overy among leading firms engaged in transactional work for fossil fuel companies.
On 21 May 2023, Allen & Overy announced a merger with AMLaw100 member Shearman & Sterling to form A&O Shearman, creating an entity with over 4,000 lawyers across 48 offices and generating $3.4 billion in revenue. By October 2023, more than 99% of partners from both firms endorsed the merger.
Projects
- ContractMatrix. A software-as-a-service platform designed for contract negotiation developed collaboratively with Microsoft and Harvey.
- Harvey. Introduced in February 2023, Harvey is an AI-driven platform utilizing natural language processing and machine learning to assist with contract review, due diligence processes, litigation support, and regulatory compliance.
- Markets Innovation Group (MIG). This group of attorneys and developers spearheads initiatives such as ContractMatrix, BrexitMatrix, IBORMatrix, and MarginMatrix. MIG was responsible for creating ContractMatrix and launching Harvey.
- aosphere. An online platform offering legal analytical tools.
- Fuse. Launched in September 2017 as an innovation hub where technology companies collaborate alongside Allen & Overy lawyers, technologists, and clients to create solutions addressing legal, regulatory, and transactional challenges. Noteworthy startups involved include Kira Systems, Neota Logic, and Bloomsbury AI—acquired by Facebook in 2018 to enhance content moderation capabilities. Vable was among Fuse's earliest participants.
- Legal services centre. Established in Belfast in 2011 with a subsequent centre opened in Johannesburg in 2022.
- Peerpoint. A service platform providing access to contract lawyers.
Offices
Allen & Overy maintains a presence with more than 40 offices spread across 31 countries, covering regions such as Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Diversity and inclusion
In 2018, the firm encountered scrutiny related to diversity issues and disparities in the gender pay gap.
- Gender: Back in 2010, Allen & Overy pioneered a policy enabling full equity partners to work part-time without facing any disadvantages, representing a notable advancement within the legal industry.
- LGBT+: Established in 2016, the firm's LGBT+ network, A&Out, offers support through events aimed at raising awareness and encouraging networking opportunities. Reflecting its dedication to LGBT+ inclusivity in the workplace, Allen & Overy was ranked among the top 100 firms in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index of 2018. Additionally, in 2017, the firm provided pro bono legal counsel to Stonewall concerning the Alan Turing law, which grants pardons to men convicted under past legislation criminalizing homosexual acts.
Leadership
The following table outlines the succession of Allen & Overy's senior leadership:
| Election | Managing Partner | Senior Partner |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | John Rink | Bill Tudor John |
| 1999 | John Rink | Guy Beringer |
| 2003 | David Morley | Guy Beringer |
| 2008 | Wim Dejonghe | David Morley |
| 2012 | Wim Dejonghe | David Morley |
| 2016 | Andrew Ballheimer | Wim Dejonghe |
| 2020 | Gareth Price | Wim Dejonghe |
Notable alumni
Distinguished former affiliates include:
Academia
- John Dewar – UK-based law academic and Vice-Chancellor at La Trobe University.
- Marike Paulsson – Head of the International Arbitration Institute at the University of Miami School of Law.
Arts
- Nick Laird – Northern Irish poet and novelist.
Business
- Steuart Walton – American businessman, attorney, philanthropist, and heir.
Politics and government
- Annagrazia Calabria – Politician from Italy.
- Ferdinand Grapperhaus – Minister of Justice and Security for the Netherlands.
- Heath Tarbert – Assistant Secretary for International Markets and Investment Policy at the U.S. Treasury.
- Sir Christopher Walford – British lawyer who served as the 667th Lord Mayor of London and is among a select group of Allen & Overy alumni to have been knighted.
- David Wootton – British lawyer who held the office of Lord Mayor of London (684th) from 2011 to 2012 and served as Alderman for Langbourn Ward.