Lazard's approach to financial advisory services centers around original ideas, sound judgment and precise execution. The firm's financial advisory professionals always begin by listening, asking strategic questions and thoroughly exploring alternatives before proceeding to transaction recommendations. Lazard's professionals are distinguished by their ability to innovate and find the right solutions even if the answers lie outside of traditional financial alternatives.

Lazard prides itself on a long tradition of generalist financial advisory and boardroom counsel in which individual bankers develop expertise in a diverse range of financial solutions, rather than a single product, service or approach. The firm consistently ranks in the top tier of financial advisors globally. Lazard is not oriented toward individual transactions, but rather concentrates on building and sustaining long-term relationships with our clients. This practice provides the firm with access to senior management of major corporations around the world.

The Financial Advisory practice at Lazard world-wide currently consists of approximately 640 professionals and includes bankers who provide advisory services to clients in a broad range of industries as well as those who focus specifically on particular industries including consumer, financial institutions, financial sponsors, healthcare and life sciences, industrials, power and energy, real estate and technology, media and telecommunications.

Lazard's broad range of advisory services include:

General financial and strategic advice Mergers, acquisitions and divestitures Corporate restructurings Special committee assignments

Takeover defenses Strategic partnerships/joint ventures Raising capital for private equity funds Capital markets alternatives