2026 Financial Advisory Summer Analyst Program - Shareholder Advisory & Activism Defense

Lazard is one of the world’s preeminent financial advisory and asset management firms. Our people and culture make the difference. While global in presence and reach, ours is a close, collaborative community of just over 3,000 professionals. Lazard is a place of continuous knowledge sharing, skill development and relationship building, where professionals grow and succeed together. Our entrepreneurial culture, flat structure and embrace of individual differences, allow creative ideas, original concepts, and unique perspectives to drive our business forward — and for careers to take flight. 

Through our financial advisory business, Lazard advises clients around the world on strategic and financial matters including mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, capital structure and capital raising. Our client relationships are built on trust and discretion. As the world’s largest advisory-focused firm, we have exceptional depth of expertise across industry sectors and geographies. We value the rich diversity that comes from blending local perspective with our global network.

As a Summer Analyst on the Shareholder Advisory and Activism Defense Team, you will work in small, highly collaborative teams advising public company boards and C-Suite executives on a wide range of complex and high-stakes topics. These include shareholder activism and hostile takeover defense and analyzing the dynamics of public equity markets, with a focus on understanding the investing and engagement patterns of institutional investors. You will work closely with sector banking teams to review and evaluate corporate strategy and governance practices, financial performance, M&A transactions and financial policy, all through a shareholder lens.

In addition, the Shareholder Advisory & Activism Defense Summer Analyst will participate in an on-going training program. Depending on the project assignments, day-to-day responsibilities of a summer analyst may include:

• Performing financial and equity capital markets analysis
• Assisting in the development of client presentations on shareholder activism defense strategies and tactics
• Supporting strategic M&A with shareholder analytics and shareholder engagement advice
• Analyzing and synthesizing data from shareholder, activism, and equity markets databases
• Tracking and evaluating trends in equity ownership, shareholder activism and corporate governance
• Leverage developing AI technology to facilitate analysis
• Interacting with senior bankers and clients 

Summer Analysts will experience the role and responsibilities of a full-time Lazard Shareholder Advisory & Activism Defense Analyst and be expected to embrace and develop competency across the breadth of our advisory offerings. Summer Analysts are expected to spend 9 weeks at the Firm.

You’ll need to have:

• Current enrollment at a US university and obtaining a Bachelor’s degree with an expected graduation date in December 2026 or May/June 2027
• Excellent academic credentials; Minimum 3.7 GPA
• Interest in shareholder activism, corporate governance and/ or public equity market ecosystem
• Motivation, creativity, maturity, and poise
• Strong quantitative background
• Strong analytical skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task
• Evidence of exemplary work ethic
• Desire to work and learn in a demanding environment of capital markets generalists

What we offer

Analysts will participate in an intensive four-week training program concentrating on corporate finance and accounting, taught in New York by outside professors and Lazard bankers.

We strive to enhance the total health and well-being of our employees through comprehensive, competitive benefits. Our goal is to offer a highly individualized employee experience that enables you to balance your commitments to career, family, and community. When you work for Lazard, you are working for an organization that cares about your unique talents and passions, and will continue to invest in the development of your career.

We expect the base salary for this role to be approximately $120,000 USD. Various factors contribute to determining the actual base compensation offered, including but not limited to the applicant’s years of relevant experience, career tenure, qualifications, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, relevant skills for the role, and if applicable, the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job.

Does this sound like you?

Apply! We’ll get in touch on the next steps.

Representation at Lazard

Lazard is an intellectual capital business committed to delivering the best advice and solutions to clients. To achieve these objectives, we focus on attracting, developing and retaining the best talent. We believe that a workforce comprised of people who represent a wide array of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives creates a rich variety of thought that empowers us to challenge conventional wisdom, solve problems creatively and make better decisions.

Lazard was built on the premise that a multicultural firm can best serve a global clientele. As a global firm that has grown organically from local roots in different countries, we have a deep tradition of respecting and appreciating individual differences. Doing so has been core to our success for over 175 years. We are committed to sustaining an environment where every colleague is supported in their professional pursuits, can maximize their individual potential and contribute to our collective success.