Middle Market Internship - Chicago

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!

 
A Fellow Linguist:
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.

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).

 
peinvestor2012:
A Fellow Linguist:
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.

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…

 
A Fellow Linguist:
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.

Which firms would you advise me to cold-email as of now to get a PWM un-paid internship?
 
Best Response
Castner:
A Fellow Linguist:
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.

Which firms would you advise me to cold-email as of now to get a PWM un-paid internship?
Try emailing the usual suspects (bb's and top mm's)
 
A Fellow Linguist:
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.

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.

 

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.

 

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.

“Millionaires don't use astrology, billionaires do”
 

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