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Lawyer transitioning into management consultantancy

Hi Coaches, I’d love your strategic input!

Background:

  • Law undergrad (University of London)
  • Civil litigation experience in Pakistan
  • Judicial Clerkship at the Supreme Court 

End goal: Join McKinsey (or another MBB firm) — ideally in public sector, sustainability, or policy advisory in the Middle East or Pakistan.

I’m now at a major decision point, trying to choose the best path to make that pivot possible.

My options:

  1. LLM at Harvard (strong brand, policy focus, but limited direct consulting exposure)
  2. MBA at LUMS (affordable, strong local placement @ McKinsey but limited global reach)
  3. MBA at Harvard or INSEAD (ideal for MBB, but funding is a real concern)

Questions for you:

  • From a strategy and recruiting standpoint, which route best positions me for MBB in the public/social sector track?
  • Is a Harvard LLM a viable launchpad for consulting, or do I really need the MBA for visibility and skills alignment?
  • Any advice on making the jump from law into consulting, especially for the Middle East region?


    One more option: McKinsey will be opening their YLP Fellow program application later this year - will my SC clerkship play a good role on my cv? I do have some Analyst roles but mostly are legal (civil) related! If I can land that, solves all the problems haha (could also sponsor my mba)

Would really appreciate your expert guidance especially around what MBB truly looks for in non traditional candidates with policy/law backgrounds. Thank you in advance!

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Schreibe die erste Antwort!
Bisher hat niemand auf diese Frage reagiert.
vor 5 Std
#1 Rated McKinsey Coach | Top MBB Coach | Verifiable success rates

Hi there, 

I've worked with several lawyers transitioning into consulting, so happy to provide a perspective.

To begin with, you might want to read this article I wrote:

One of the points I'm trying to make with the article above is that you might not even need an additional degree. Your current qualification as a lawyer is likely sufficient to pass screening. In short, prepare a great application by seeking professional support for your CV, and then obtain a referral. Apply, and not only to McK, but to the other MBBs as well (and other firms). This next article will explain how to do it:


Then, your applications might work out already at this stage. Worst case scenario they don't, then you can actually go for the additional qualifications. Let me take now your Qs one by one. 

  • From a strategy and recruiting standpoint, which route best positions me for MBB in the public/social sector track?
    • All of them are fine, though the more prestigious the university / program they better positioned you tend to be. Of course, in practice, it depends a lot on how you perform on the program, how effective their career centre is and how 'lucky' you get in meeting the right people at the right time.
  • Is a Harvard LLM a viable launchpad for consulting, or do I really need the MBA for visibility and skills alignment?
    • No, you don't need the MBA. Most people go into McK without an MBA and only get it once they are in the firm. But yes, it helps to have it, only that it's not a requirement. 
  • Any advice on making the jump from law into consulting, especially for the Middle East region?

    • There's lots to discuss here that have to do with making the most of your profile as a lawyer both in the application process and then on the job, but it's outside the scope of a Q&A question. 

Hope this helps!
Best,
Cristian
 

Mihir
Coach
vor 3 Std
McKinsey Associate Partner and interviewer | Bulletproof MBB prep

I would agree with the above statement that you don't necessarily need an MBA. 

Your qualifications are likely impressive enough to pass screening IF you tell your story in the right way.

That means demonstrating the core qualities and achievements MBB firms are looking for throughout your CV. 

If you can find someone to provide you with a referral, that would also help in terms of securing an interview.

You may wish to speak with a coach to help craft your application.

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