“I found my mentoring session with André very helpful, particularly because I came into it with very little understanding of commercial banking. My background is in life sciences and healthcare, and most of my career exploration so far has focused on consulting. Although I had become interested in commercial banking, I had not previously explored the area in any depth. I therefore needed a clear starting point and an honest conversation about what I should understand before deciding whether to pursue it.
André helped me establish that starting point. The session gave me a clearer way to think about commercial banking, how it differs from consulting, and what I still need to learn. Before the conversation, I was looking at opportunities and wondering whether I should begin applying alongside consulting applications. Afterwards, I understood that I needed to take a step back and make a more informed decision about whether the work genuinely interests me.
One of the most valuable aspects of the session was how it helped me recognise the gaps in my current understanding. I knew that I was new to banking, but I did not necessarily know which questions I needed to answer for myself. André’s guidance helped me think more clearly about where I am now, what I am missing, and what I should begin doing next. Having that direction was useful because it made the process feel more manageable. Rather than treating banking as a broad and unfamiliar industry, I now have a clearer starting point for learning about it.
A particularly helpful message was that I should first develop a better understanding of commercial banking and assess whether I actually like the work. I took away a sensible sequence: understand the area, decide whether it appeals to me, and then, if it does, commit to learning and preparing for applications. If I discover that the work does not suit my interests, I should be willing to recognise that and focus my efforts elsewhere. That advice sounds straightforward, but it was an important perspective for me at this stage.
The conversation made me realise that I should not rush into applying for commercial banking roles simply because I have found programmes that look interesting. Before the session, I was at risk of moving too quickly from curiosity to applications without having a strong enough understanding of the career itself. André helped me see the value of being more deliberate. I would rather make a considered application based on a genuine interest in the work than spend time applying to positions I cannot yet explain my motivation for pursuing.
Another important takeaway was recognising how substantial the differences between banking and consulting can be. Because consulting has been my main focus, it had become my reference point when thinking about other careers. The session helped me realise that I cannot assume banking will involve similar work, suit the same preferences, or require exactly the same preparation. I need to understand banking on its own terms rather than view it mainly as another option alongside consulting.
I also appreciated that the session was useful even though I did not finish it with a final career decision. At this exploratory stage, greater clarity about what I do not yet know is meaningful progress. I now feel better equipped to evaluate my interest, identify what I need to learn, and decide whether commercial banking deserves a more focused place in my career plans.
Overall, André was very helpful, and the session met an important need for me as someone starting with limited knowledge of the field. Its greatest value was giving me direction and encouraging a more thoughtful approach to my next steps. I left with a clearer understanding of my knowledge gaps, a more realistic perspective on the difference between banking and consulting, and a better sense of how to move forward before committing to applications.”
EXTREMELY different firms. Are you familiar with the difference between economic consulting and strategy consulting?
Grad school placement (law, b-school, and econ grad) from any of the top litigation shops (NERA, CRA, Cornerstone, etc.) are all extremely strong, and I'm generally inclined to believe that people that work there are much smarter than people at the Deloittes and Accentures of the world. The work can get very tedious though, if you're averse to statistics and research work.
I realize that one is management consulting and one is economic, but I am thinking which down the road will open up more doors.
From what I have seen, Deloitte seems to do more implementation work than actual strategy. Due to what I perceive as a heavy focus on implementation I think the work at NERA or any other top litigation shop would be more interesting than Deloitte.
I would be interested in other people's views on the same subject. Thanks.
anyone know what the exit opps are like coming out of an econ litigation shop like NERA if one does NOT want to go to grad school? How easily would one be able to join a sell-side trading desk/ Hedge fund / possibly PE?
Only know of 1 that made the jump straight to buy-side (PE). But don't know actually know of too many that want to. As I've said before, economic consulting places extremely well into top MBA programs, and I imagine that would help down that path. One thing is for sure - nobody will ever question your "quant" skills after a few years in litigation consulting.
Make sure you get staffed on finance/valuation/transfer pricing cases. I'd also imagine this transition is much harder if you're working in Antitrust / Intellectual Property.
what about small no name litigation consulting shops? Do they place well into bschools? My cousin works in a 20 person shop in Chicago and wants to go to bschool.
No. They probably still place pretty well into econ/math/stat graduate programs since the managers will have a lot of connections in academia, but B-schools and buy side opps will be a lot harder.
Is it really hard to get into top litigation consulting shops...? Just asking. Of course it's hard, but how competitive compared to IB?
And another question...which side if you're planning to do corporate law...? Yes, it's not leverage into law school, but it might be leverage into a law FIRM.
"We are lawyers! We sue people! Occasionally, we get aggressive and garnish wages, but WE DO NOT ABDUCT!" -Boston Legal-
And yes, mainly transactional practice.
"We are lawyers! We sue people! Occasionally, we get aggressive and garnish wages, but WE DO NOT ABDUCT!" -Boston Legal-
Yes, law firms will like the experience, but if you end up at a top school, you'll get a good firm job even without any experience. It will help if you're trying to go to one of the selective govt programs (DOJ Antitrust, SEC), get a firm job your IL Summer, or get a firm job from a less highly ranked school.
Also, it is pretty hard to get in, but in a different way. Firstly, lit consulting shops are TINY. Even the biggest offices will only have class sizes of 6 new analysts per year. The ratio between resume drops/offers at my (pretty well regarded) school is 100-1.
With that said, they are looking for different things. They want you to have good grades in the right classes, interested in going to graduate school at some point, and to know what their work is like - so things like writing a sr thesis or researching with a prof are looked really highly upon.
Depending on the firm, they also have case interviews (Cornerstone has ONLY case interviews) to test how well you're able to quickly structure lines of analysis.
It is much less random though. A really highly qualified kid might have go through a lot of IB interviews, even if s/he's a star. But if you've set yourself up well, you will get offers from everywhere you interview with.
I'm guessing an econ major's okay here...?
"We are lawyers! We sue people! Occasionally, we get aggressive and garnish wages, but WE DO NOT ABDUCT!" -Boston Legal-
Yes, but within the major, make sure to take more "quantitative" classes - financial economics, econometrics, industrial organization. Accounting is not at all required, but it helps.
Good luck!
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