Investment Banking Forum

[TraeM2010]

In my research I am finding that many of the large investment banks recruit from top law schools. I have also seen that another good way to get into the investment banking industry is to start in corporate finance and then transition in. I have an accounting background and attend University of South Carolina law. I have a CPA license. If I want to try to transition from law school to investment banking should I try to do it from a corporate tax position or should I try to land a corporate finance job out of law school?

[Renzo]

I think you have three options:

1. Invent time machine
2. Go back in time, attend an Ivy undergrad, do well
3. Get a job as a banker

-OR-

1. Get an MBA from Harvard, Penn, Northwestern, Chicago, MIT, or Stanford.
2. Become a banker.

-OR-

1. Get a job as an M&A attorney with a very prestigious firm that does a lot of work with the banks.
2. Pray
3. Transition to banking.

[Anonymous User]

What about applying to Ibanking analyst positions after a top 14 JD? And doing so after taking transactional focused classes and even corporate finance/accounting at the top 14's top 20 MBA program? I have an econ undergrad degree and when I say Ibanks I'm talking about middle market banks--not bulge (think BBT/Suntrust etc.). Also note that I'm talking coming in at the analyst level and not as an associate.

[Anonymous User]

What about applying to Ibanking analyst positions after a top 14 JD? And doing so after taking transactional focused classes and even corporate finance/accounting at the top 14's top 20 MBA program? I have an econ undergrad degree and when I say Ibanks I'm talking about middle market banks--not bulge (think BBT/Suntrust etc.). Also note that I'm talking coming in at the analyst level and not as an associate.

It's definitely "possible" to get into banking with a JD but you'd be excluded from most any analyst class. You might be able to talk your way into a small boutique firm if you know someone but even in that scenario you'd likely be hired as an associate. Most JD hires have some sort of transferable/relevant experience and depending on that experience, some JD's are even hired as VP's. In the end, it's all about how well you network.

[Anonymous User]

How possible to go:

CCN --> V10 M&A midlevel--> MBA --> IBD --> ??? --> Profit ?

[Anonymous User]

What about applying to Ibanking analyst positions after a top 14 JD? And doing so after taking transactional focused classes and even corporate finance/accounting at the top 14's top 20 MBA program? I have an econ undergrad degree and when I say Ibanks I'm talking about middle market banks--not bulge (think BBT/Suntrust etc.). Also note that I'm talking coming in at the analyst level and not as an associate.

It's definitely "possible" to get into banking with a JD but you'd be excluded from most any analyst class. You might be able to talk your way into a small boutique firm if you know someone but even in that scenario you'd likely be hired as an associate. Most JD hires have some sort of transferable/relevant experience and depending on that experience, some JD's are even hired as VP's. In the end, it's all about how well you network.

Why would I be excluded from analyst positions but not for associate positions? I'm looking at the analyst level because I don't have full time professional W/E and I realize that my competency level would be more aligned with analyst positions.

[fatduck]

What about applying to Ibanking analyst positions after a top 14 JD? And doing so after taking transactional focused classes and even corporate finance/accounting at the top 14's top 20 MBA program? I have an econ undergrad degree and when I say Ibanks I'm talking about middle market banks--not bulge (think BBT/Suntrust etc.). Also note that I'm talking coming in at the analyst level and not as an associate.

It's definitely "possible" to get into banking with a JD but you'd be excluded from most any analyst class. You might be able to talk your way into a small boutique firm if you know someone but even in that scenario you'd likely be hired as an associate. Most JD hires have some sort of transferable/relevant experience and depending on that experience, some JD's are even hired as VP's. In the end, it's all about how well you network.

Why would I be excluded from analyst positions but not for associate positions? I'm looking at the analyst level because I don't have full time professional W/E and I realize that my competency level would be more aligned with analyst positions.

i think he means you're overqualified

[Anonymous User]

What about applying to Ibanking analyst positions after a top 14 JD? And doing so after taking transactional focused classes and even corporate finance/accounting at the top 14's top 20 MBA program? I have an econ undergrad degree and when I say Ibanks I'm talking about middle market banks--not bulge (think BBT/Suntrust etc.). Also note that I'm talking coming in at the analyst level and not as an associate.

It's definitely "possible" to get into banking with a JD but you'd be excluded from most any analyst class. You might be able to talk your way into a small boutique firm if you know someone but even in that scenario you'd likely be hired as an associate. Most JD hires have some sort of transferable/relevant experience and depending on that experience, some JD's are even hired as VP's. In the end, it's all about how well you network.

Why would I be excluded from analyst positions but not for associate positions? I'm looking at the analyst level because I don't have full time professional W/E and I realize that my competency level would be more aligned with analyst positions.

i think he means you're overqualified

I wouldn't be because associate positions require full time work experience.

[dingbat]

In my research I am finding that many of the large investment banks recruit from top law schools. I have also seen that another good way to get into the investment banking industry is to start in corporate finance and then transition in. I have an accounting background and attend University of South Carolina law. I have a CPA license. If I want to try to transition from law school to investment banking should I try to do it from a corporate tax position or should I try to land a corporate finance job out of law school?

You're better off getting an MBA

[Anonymous User]

I think you have three options:

1. Invent time machine
2. Go back in time, attend an Ivy undergrad, do well
3. Get a job as a banker

-OR-

1. Get an MBA from Harvard, Penn, Northwestern, Chicago, MIT, or Stanford.
2. Become a banker.

-OR-

1. Get a job as an M&A attorney with a very prestigious firm that does a lot of work with the banks.
2. Pray
3. Transition to banking.

Is it common for V20 M&A lawyers to go back to get their MBA after a few years practing law in order to make the transition or is it just a direct jump?