What is Law in Investment Banking?

So you have a law degree or have completed professional legal training . . . What next?

Investment Banks employ large numbers of lawyers, either directly in-house or through large City and international law groups.
Lawyers and ex-lawyers can be found in a number of roles in the banking and insurance sector. Three major categories are outlined below.
Investment banks are keen to offer roles to both solicitors and barristers who are looking to change their careers. For example, many trained barristers can be found working in corporate finance departments in the City (See Corporate Finance).

There are two key reasons for this. When a bank is advising a major company on a takeover or a merger, legal training is a great asset in planning the strategy used. Equally important is the case development training that barristers undergo. This makes them ideally suited to presenting strategies to potential clients, and ensuring that such strategies are meticulously executed.

If I work in Law in Investment Banking what will I be doing?

Banks and insurers generate a huge amount of work for lawyers. Activities include:

• Advising on the regulatory and compliance position of a new product;
• Developing terms and conditions for new products;
• Responding to and interpreting new legislation;
• Preparing briefs for legal cases or for regulatory hearings;
• Planning responses to client complaints;
• Advising on the legal challenges facing corporate actions, such as mergers or acquisitions;
• Advising clients of the legal issues involved in a merger or acquisition, or in the preparation of an initial public offering (ie listing shares on the Stock Market).

Banks employ their own counsel to work on all of these matters, as well as being the biggest clients of the major international law groups.

Positions range from junior assistant to legal counsel, right up to experienced international lawyers acting as in-house counsel on issues such as mergers and acquisitions. Senior positions such as these command very high salaries, running into the hundreds of thousands of pounds.

How do I get a graduate scheme / internship / entry level job or career in Law in Investment Banking?

Obtaining a graduate scheme, internship or entry level role in law in investment banking can be very challenging and competitive – though very achievable by getting your application, CV, interview and general approach right. You can guarantee that ninety percent of applicants for law in investment banking roles will not know how to apply, so getting your application in the top ten percent makes things a lot more achievable.

Approaching the company in the right way will make all the difference. Combining the right approach with a strong interview (and in some cases assessment centre) writ a strong focused tailored CV will go a long way. Make sure you have gone through the free videos on this sight by entering your name and email address in the top right of this screen underneath the video. Once you have filled this in you will have instant access to everything you need to secure your career in law in investment banking.

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