Cornerstone Research focuses on economic and financial analysis in commercial litigation and regulatory proceedings. Imagine what your day would be like if you were living a character’s life on an episode of Suits meets consulting. Experience it at Cornerstone Research!
If you have a background in economics, finance, or business, a Cornerstone Research career could be the perfect step to launch you into a consulting career.
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- An overview of Cornerstone Research careers, including types of work and culture
- Examples of Cornerstone Research jobs and career paths
- Potential exit opportunities to pursue after Cornerstone Research careers
- 4 tips on landing Cornerstone Research jobs
Let’s get started!
What Does Cornerstone Research Do?
Cornerstone Research is a specialized economic consulting firm providing financial analysis and expert testimony across all phases of commercial litigation and regulatory proceedings. Founded in 1989, the firm has over 700 employees and a global presence, with 9 offices in major cities across the United States and Europe, such as New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and London.
Cornerstone Research works with law firms, government agencies, and corporations. Whether it’s quantifying damages in a lawsuit, analyzing market trends, or assessing the economic impact of corporate decisions, Cornerstone provides its clients with data-driven insights and analytical support in legal proceedings.
Cornerstone Research works in many industries, such as automotive, consumer finance, healthcare, life sciences, fintech, technology, and telecommunication. Some of the practice areas include:
- Antitrust and Competition: Analyzing the economic impact of proposed mergers to ensure they don’t restrict competition or create potential unfair monopolies. Analyze the impact of proposed government regulations on the market.
- Securities Litigation: Assessing the impact of alleged misconduct such as security fraud (e.g. misleading investors about a company’s financial status) and calculating the financial losses for the parties involved.
- International Arbitration: Providing expert testimony and analyzing economic and financial data to address issues that involve entities from different countries or between a company and a foreign regulatory authority.
- Valuation: Providing and supporting expert testimony in legal cases involving the valuation of businesses, complex securities, specific assets, etc.
Let’s look at examples of projects you could work on at Cornerstone Research.
- Securities Litigation for Biotech: Analyzing financial and trading data to determine the extent of economic damages for shareholders resulting from the dip of stock prices when the misrepresentation of a cancer drug’s benefit came to light
- Antitrust and Competition for Pharma: Assessing antitrust market definition, market position, impact on competition, and economic damages due to retailer contracts enforced by a drug manufacturer for a drug that treats fleas and ticks
- International Arbitration for Government: Creating financial models and analyzing foreign market trends to assess project value, investment pricing, and credit risk to help challenge an investor’s claim that delays in certain infrastructure projects with a foreign government led to financial losses
Similarities & Differences between Cornerstone Research Careers and Management Consulting Jobs
While economic consulting and management consulting both involve advising clients on their biggest challenges, there are significant differences too. Let’s look at the key similarities and differences:
Similarities:
- Data-Driven Analysis: Both economic and management consulting require the ability to develop recommendations through synthesizing large and complex datasets (while the type of data and tools may be different).
- Client-Centric Problem Solving: Both economic and management consultants focus on providing tailored solutions to clients. Whether improving operational efficiency in management consulting or analyzing the economic impact of regulatory changes in economic consulting, both fields require consultants to work closely with the client.
Differences:
- Focus of the Work: Management consulting focuses on business strategy, operations, and growth. On the other hand, the work at Cornerstone Research is more specialized, with a focus on applying economic theory and data analysis to solve legal, regulatory, or market-specific problems.
- Type of Clients: Management consultants work with companies in all industries and usually directly with the C-Suite or executives. Cornerstone Research mostly works with law firms, government agencies, and regulatory bodies, particularly in litigation and policy analysis.
- Skillset and Industry Knowledge: Management consultants typically possess broad business knowledge, with a strong focus on problem-solving and strategic thinking. Cornerstone Research consultants require those skills and a deep understanding of economics, quantitative analysis, and familiarity with statistical software tools (e.g., Python, SAS, Stata, or R), with consultants often holding advanced degrees in economics or related fields.
- Project Assignment: Both management consulting and economic consulting involve demanding workloads. However, in management consulting, entry-level consultants typically work on one project at a time. At Cornerstone Research, junior consultants are often staffed on multiple cases simultaneously, exposing them to various practice areas and industries.
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Culture & Values of Cornerstone Research Careers
Cornerstone Research careers are characterized by intellectual rigor, a commitment to continuous learning, and a culture often described as “collegial and collaborative.” From the start, consultants are supported and encouraged to feel valued and make meaningful contributions to their teams.
Cornerstone Research’s core values are centered around people. Its values are:
- Dedicated to Quality: Provide rigorous, objective, and efficient analyses to develop creative approaches to solve critical issues faced by clients
- Committed to Clients and Experts: Develop relationships based on trust and respect
- Committed to Our People: Create an environment where every individual in every role feels valued and can contribute authentically and fully
- “One-Firm” Mindset: Promote cross-team collaboration across the firm to provide clients and experts with seamless support
Cornerstone Research provides opportunities for professional development and continuous learning. The firm conducts workshops and on-demand learning programs to develop the skills of its consultants. Entry-level consultants are paired with a senior consultant who guides them and helps align work opportunities with their interests and career goals.
Cornerstone Research also demonstrates its commitment to people through affinity groups like C-Pride, ONYX, and C-Her+, which acknowledge and value diverse backgrounds and experiences, fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment.
The firm is dedicated to giving back to society and provides pro bono services to non-profit organizations in areas such as discrimination, civil rights, and education. Cornerstone Research values sustainability, with its offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC, earning LEED Silver, Gold, and Platinum certifications.
Cornerstone Research Career Paths
There are 2 entry paths available at Cornerstone Research:
- Analyst: This is the path for undergraduate and master’s degree candidates. Analysts conduct quantitative and qualitative data analysis and provide input on case insights.
- Associate: This is the path for MBA and PhD candidates. Associates develop case strategies, conduct research, support testimony, oversee, and provide direction for analysis. Gradually, you take on the responsibilities of maintaining client relationships and managing teams.
Cornerstone Research follows a defined promotion process based on experience and tenure Consultants highlight and appreciate this straightforward promotion process.
The Analyst path has 3 levels:
- Analyst (~2 years), senior analyst (~1 year), and research associate (~1 year)
- After the research associate position, candidates may be promoted to senior research associate (~2 years) and potentially merge with the associate pathway
The Associate path has 4 levels:
- Associate (~3 years), manager (~2 years), senior manager (~2 years) and principal
After the principal position (~4 years), candidates move into vice president and eventually senior vice president roles.
Cornerstone Research also offers summer internship programs (~2 months) for analyst and associate positions, to give potential candidates a glimpse of what it is like working at the firm. Candidates work in case teams and carry out data analysis, conduct research, and develop case strategies, mirroring their full-time counterparts. The internship also provides access to leadership and professional training.
What are Potential Exit Opportunities After Cornerstone Research Careers?
Cornerstone Research careers are a launchpad for various opportunities within and outside economic consulting. Here are just a few areas you can explore after a few successful years at Cornerstone Research:
- Academia: Many candidates on the analyst pathway go on to pursue graduate studies and broaden their skills. Cornerstone Research also prepares its employees for graduate studies through training programs and supports them in preparing applications. Former analysts may choose to rejoin the firm as associates after completing their studies.
- Data Analyst: Land a role at a top technology firm, leveraging skills with advanced data analysis.
- Government: Work with government agencies to shape public policy and regulation.
- Corporate: Transition to in-house strategy teams or financial advisory roles across sectors, such as finance, healthcare, or technology to guide business decisions from an economic perspective.
4 Tips for Landing a Cornerstone Research Job
1. Highlight Relevant Experience
Emphasize any experience involving data analysis, economic research, finance, or business gained through courses, internships, or research projects. These experiences demonstrate the analytical and quantitative skills that Cornerstone Research looks for in candidates.
2. Stay Informed About Current Events
You need to understand the latest developments in business, economics, and law. Regularly reading the news, following key economic indicators, and understanding the impact of regulatory changes can help you engage in more informed conversations during interviews.
3. Prepare for Case Interviews
Case interviews at Cornerstone Research may particularly focus on applying economic principles and quantitative analysis to real-world issues Check out a Comprehensive Guide to Case Interview Prep to understand what to expect.
4. Network and Reflect on Cornerstone Research’s Values
Connect with current or former Cornerstone Research consultants to gain insights into Cornerstone Research careers and interview expectations. You’ll learn valuable tips and gain a better understanding of the firm’s culture and values. Communicating these insights in your interview will give interviewers confidence that you resonate with the firm’s values.
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In this article, we’ve covered:
- An overview of Cornerstone Research careers, type of work, culture, and values
- What does a Cornerstone Research career path look like?
- Post-Cornerstone Research career opportunities
- 4 tips on landing Cornerstone Research jobs
Still have questions?
If you have more questions about Cornerstone Research careers, leave them in the comments below. One of My Consulting Offer’s recruiters will answer them.
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