Allen Overy Shearman Sterling US LLP 401(k) Review & Grade
Shearman & Sterling LLP Retirement Savings Plan
New York, NYProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services766 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,938Employer $ per active participant
$15,586Employee $ saved per active participant
0.04%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$542.1MNet plan assets, end of year
$246,093Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity36.3 / 5073th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost22.8 / 2591th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.6 / 1591th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score83 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,469 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 73th |
| Lower admin cost | 91th |
| Employee saving | 91th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
No red flags were reported on this filing's compliance questions.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Allen Overy Shearman Sterling US LLP put in about $4,938 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,082). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $3,780,387 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $11,931,087 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $3,306,967 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $193,381 |
| Other admin expenses | $74,346 |
| Benefits paid out | $57,420,534 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $502.7M / $542.1M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 823 / 708 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,203 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Eisneramper LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| T Rowe Price RPS Inc | $119,035 reported compensation |
| Fiducient Advisors | $74,346 reported compensation |
| Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. | $100 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251013165848NAL0000844339001, received 2025-10-13, EIN 13-5514352, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.