Hello WSO, I will be attending a target school this coming fall and was wondering which MMs or boutiques hire summer analysts in Chicago? The reason I want to pursue these opportunities, is to gain some experience in IB before applying to BBs as a soph/junior. Thanks in advance for your responses!
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As a high school senior? Unless you have connections, your best bet is to seek some PWM internships.
In terms of MM/boutiques in Chicago, William Blair and Robert W. Baird are the top MM firms. Most of the boutique investment banks do have some sort of presence in Chicago, like Lazard, Greenhill, and Moelis, but they're nowhere near as strong as their NYC HQs.
I'm sorry that I didn't make it clear, but I was referring to viable and realistic opportunities for the summer after my freshman year in school.
Also I feel like a lot of big name MMs (William & Blair) hire current juniors, where and what can I possibly be doing for my freshman year and sophomore year internships?
this^
Or network your ass off for a small boutique (you will have to research yourself) and may be unpaid, but would be a great experience
Not as strong as NYC, but Moelis Chicago is solid.
Aside from Blair and Baird, check out Lincoln International (solid deal flow IMO), Duff & Phelps, Mesirow (improving of late), and Citadel (IB group from Ken Griffin's HF).
Citadel does not have an investment banking group. http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/08/15/wells-fargo-brings-aboard-citade…
To be fair, Lazard RX Chicago is pretty strong - they handle a lot of high profile deals such as the Tribune Company restructuring. In general, though, you are correct.
PWM. Just search for alumni at the firm (shouldn't be an issue if attending a target.)
Most well-known firms (including just about all of the ones listed in this thread) will only hire juniors for IBD internships; there are always exceptions (personal connections, off cycle hiring, etc.) but in general, it doesn't make sense for a bank to hire an intern they can't give an offer to.
I think you'd have to shoot for smaller shops (generally 5-10 bankers per office), as these guys would be more likely to go for the non-standard junior year summer intern candidates.
William Blair, Baird, Lincoln Intl, Lazard. I think BMO also has a capital market group in Chi but I am not sure. As previous thread said, they all focus on juniors. If you are at a target (NU, UChi, UIUC, IUB etc..), I would assume that you have OCR to those places.
God damn, almost everyone here has missed OPs point!
Kid isn't asking if he can get a fucking internship at Lazard as a freshman or whether or not other name fucking brand banks like Moelis are any good out there, he's asking about no-name boutiques where he can build his resume so he gain a competitive edge over the kids that do PWM as freshmen.
Don't get hung-up on the term "MM," it's an imaginary WSO construct that kids here use to refer to a handful of shops that are very selective despite not being "BB." In the real world, any regional boutique that knows it's not out to compete with the Morgan Stanleys of the world will tell you they're a "middle market investment bank" even if they have like 4 people. As he is not even a freshman, OP is almost definitely asking about the latter.
BMO Capital Markets is HQ in Chicago.
there are a lot of prop trading shops in chicago which could definitely use a some sort of trading assistant/analyst
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