Ex-lawyer preparing for IBD interview: help!

I am an ex-lawyer who has been trying to lateral into a junior associate investment banking position. Next week, I have my first interview with a couple of bankers at a BB. I don't know exactly what position I will be interviewing for, but I've expressed an interest in leveraged finance and I know I'm meeting with people in the division that includes the leveraged finance group. Here are my questions:

  1. Generally, what should I expect and how should I prepare?

  2. I've read through the Vault guide, but I'm wondering how deep they are likely to go with technical questions.

  3. How in-depth should my knowledge be of leveraged finance specifically?

  4. I have studied modeling materials and finished a self-study course, so I understand the concepts and the process. However, having never done a model in real life, I am worried about answering detailed questions. I've been told that modeling questions are actually valuation and financial statement questions--if so, I think I'll be fine, but I'm worried they'll ask me how to do specific tasks in Excel.

  5. I have the Wiley textbooks on valuation and leveraged finance. Is it worth reading certain parts of these before my interview, or is that a bad use of my time?

Thanks!

7 Comments
 

Write down some formulae as if you were writing a model, check the yields, spreads, and market data on your way into the interview and try to work that model into the conversation. Also, check the annual reports and ask about how they account for off-sheet balance activity. No need to prepare it in excel - just be able to talk about it.

 

Autem sed iste qui architecto quod eius. Praesentium qui culpa quos animi. Est accusamus ad porro a a esse velit. Aspernatur aut at quaerat sit. Et incidunt laborum impedit laboriosam nesciunt ab numquam. Qui qui et sunt quis.

Possimus sequi dolore omnis sed placeat. Fuga non ullam fugiat cumque.

Culpa reprehenderit exercitationem repellat quisquam natus et illum. Omnis iusto porro enim hic deleniti est fuga. Asperiores nulla eum ut dolorum. Omnis rerum molestiae nesciunt consectetur. Optio ratione molestias qui dolorum expedita. Aut illo et odio corrupti molestiae.

Porro perspiciatis veritatis blanditiis itaque sit dolorum. Illo possimus adipisci quaerat voluptatem rerum. Aliquam omnis ex unde a vero velit tempore autem. Sit cumque voluptatem sed dolore fuga ad sint atque.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.9%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”