Investment Banking · ~3-4% acceptance rate

Lazard Interview Preparation

Elite advisory boutique known for the most complex restructuring and M&A deals globally

~25,000+

Applications

~3-4%

Offer rate

£65,000 base

Graduate salary

Practise Lazard HireVue free

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HireVue Practice

Lazard — HireVue Practice

Your question

30s preparation 2 min recording Camera + mic

Application process

How to get into Lazard — step by step

Online Application

Opens September-October.

Lazard is known for the most complex deals. Show intellectual depth and genuine interest in advisory.

Phone/Video Interview

2-4 weeks after application

Technical from the start. Expect a DCF walkthrough and M&A questions even in the first interview.

Superday

November-February

3-5 interviews. Extremely technical. Restructuring knowledge is a differentiator. Expect brain teasers.

Offer

Within 1-2 weeks

Small intake. Competitive package.

Interview questions

Lazard interview questions by round

Questions change at every stage. Know what to expect.

1Why Lazard?
2Walk me through a DCF.
3What is the difference between restructuring and M&A?
4Tell me about a complex deal in the news.
5Why advisory?

What they value

What Lazard looks for in candidates

Intellectual horsepower

Lazard deals are the most complex in banking. They need people who can handle ambiguity and multi-layered problems.

Technical depth

Most technically demanding interviews in banking. DCF, LBO, merger models, and restructuring mechanics tested in detail.

Genuine advisory interest

Pure advisory firm. They want people who care about advising clients, not processing transactions.

Work ethic

Elite boutique hours are intense. 75-85 hours/week. Lean teams, high expectations.

Communication

Advising boards of directors requires exceptional communication. Clear, concise, persuasive.

Intellectual curiosity

Restructuring involves understanding distressed situations, legal frameworks, and creative solutions.

Compensation

Lazard salary & benefits

Graduate

~£65,000 base (~£110K+ total comp)

Intern

~£55,000 pro-rata

Perks & benefits

Health insurancePensionSmall team exposureTravel opportunitiesTraining25 days holiday

Culture & work style

What it's actually like to work at Lazard

Pure advisory — M&A and restructuring

75-85 hours/week — elite boutique intensity

Very lean teams — significant analyst responsibility

Intellectually demanding work

Mayfair/City office

Small graduate intake — exclusive community

Direct senior exposure from day one

Known for the most complex cross-border deals

Insider tips

How to stand out at Lazard

Know the difference between M&A advisory and restructuring — Lazard does both at the highest level

Reference a specific Lazard restructuring deal. Their Sovereign Advisory practice is unique.

Technical preparation is non-negotiable. Know DCF, LBO, merger model, and restructuring mechanics.

Lazard's Sovereign Advisory practice (advising governments) is a unique differentiator

Show intellectual curiosity about distressed situations — they want people who find complexity exciting

Compare

Lazard vs competitors

Firm	Salary	Hours	Culture	Exit opps
Lazard	~£65,000 base (~£110K+ total comp)	75-85/week	Pure advisory — M&A and restructuring...	—
Rothschild	~£65K / ~£100K total	70-80/week	Higher deal volume, slightly less intense	Very strong
Evercore	~£70K / ~£120K+ total	80-90/week	Highest pay, hardest hours	Very strong
Houlihan Lokey	~£65K / ~£110K+ total	70-80/week	Restructuring specialist	Strong
Goldman Sachs (M&A)	~£65K / ~£95K total	70-80/week	Broader platform, lower boutique pay	Strongest

FAQ

Lazard FAQs

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