Q&A with L.E.K. Consultants James Wells & Sydney Smith

James Wells joined L.E.K. in 2023 and currently serves as a Senior Life Sciences Specialist, focusing on diagnostics, financial modeling, competitive analysis, and market access strategy. Sydney Smith joined L.E.K. in 2023 and is now a Senior Life Sciences Specialist, working on projects such as patient journey mapping, market strategy, and global packaging design for healthcare products. Vault recently spoke with James and Sydney about their journeys to L.E.K., the firm's culture, the most exciting projects they've worked on, and more.

Tell us about yourself and your journey to L.E.K.

James: I grew up in Ontario, Canada, and earned my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at Queen’s University. My passion for disease and therapeutics led me to pursue a PhD in Interdisciplinary Oncology at the University of British Columbia. During my final year, just as COVID hit, I joined a nonprofit consulting club. That experience exposed me to consulting’s problem-solving mindset and broad applicability. I worked on a variety of cases—some not even related to life sciences, like voting rights—and loved the strategic thinking. I realized I wanted to apply my scientific background in biochemistry and oncology to a broader, business-driven context. L.E.K. stood out because of its strong life sciences focus, rigorous casework, and collaborative culture. Once I talked to people at the firm, it just clicked—it felt like the right place to grow.

Sydney: I am originally from Portland, Oregon, and from an early age I was deeply interested in studying how the human body works, namely the formation of disease. This curiosity carried me all the way to a PhD in Immunology at the University of Michigan, where I studied the biological underpinnings that contribute to the formation of colorectal cancer and the inability patients with Ulcerative Colitis have to heal ulcers in their guts. I enjoyed my PhD research a lot and saw the impact I was generating; however, I found myself seeking greater variety in my work and realized that healthcare innovations emerge through the harnessing of scientific insights via a solid business platform to bring therapies to patients, rather than academic papers. This led me to do some career exploration on campus, including joining miLEAD Consulting Group. miLEAD is a student-run nonprofit consulting group that has grown to a six-figure operation working with local startups in Ann Arbor as well as Fortune 500 companies. Three years with miLEAD proved to be a transformative experience where I felt I had found the right environment of work content, project lifecycle, and people that I truly enjoyed being a part of. After attending L.E.K.’s summer bridge program, Link to L.E.K., a short program that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the firm, I was sold. I got my offer shortly after and jumped in.

What does a typical day look like for a Senior Life Sciences Specialist?

Sydney: My day-to-day really depends on the project cycle, which usually lasts four to six weeks. That is something I love—we constantly get to learn something new. One project might involve growth strategy, where a client asks us, “How can we become a billion-dollar player in lab services?” Another might be due diligence for a private equity firm considering a biotech investment. Currently, I’m working on a patient journey project for a chronic infectious disease—mapping out how patients navigate diagnosis, treatment, and care. Our weeks are front-loaded: Mondays through Wednesdays are full throttle, while Thursdays and Fridays are a bit lighter and our weekends are protected. On any given day, I might be doing expert interviews, secondary research on clinical pipelines, cleaning client data, or building forecasting models. There’s also daily collaboration—team check-ins, partner meetings, and weekly client calls keep everything moving.

James: That resonates with me. My schedule is influenced a lot by working across time zones. I’m based in LA but have collaborated with teams in New York, London, and Japan. I typically start my day around 8:30 AM by checking emails and aligning on priorities with the team in our BOD—beginning-of-day—meeting. My tasks might include building financial models, analyzing databases, or identifying competitors. I also dive into secondary research—literature, market reports, or scientific publications—and conduct expert interviews with clinicians and execs. That work is then synthesized into client-facing presentations. Afternoons and evenings are often about refining that work and thinking iteratively. Every day is different, but it all comes back to solving problems and communicating insights clearly and effectively.

What has been your most exciting and challenging project so far?

James: One project that really challenged me was helping a diagnostics company understand the full patient journey for acute myeloid leukemia. We had to map the process from initial doctor visit to diagnostic testing and treatment, analyzing where those diagnostics occurred—community hospitals versus centers of excellence—and identifying bottlenecks. It was a completely open-ended challenge, with no clear playbook. We had to combine fragmented datasets, build robust models, and figure out what would actually move the needle for patients. In the end, we helped the client pinpoint key areas for improving diagnostic access. It felt impactful and rewarding—exactly the kind of work I hoped to do in this role.

Sydney: My first project still sticks with me. We were looking at packaging for an injectable therapy in lower- and middle-income countries—places like Brazil, India, Mexico, and Thailand. It wasn’t just about ensuring the product worked; we had to consider real-world logistics: What happens if the box gets transported on a bumpy unpaved road in a non-refrigerated truck? How do we avoid needle misuse through smart packaging? Even the label artwork mattered—especially in settings where public stigma could arise if patients are seen receiving certain injections. It was a global project with open-ended questions, and I loved every second. We even got to visit the client site, test the product ourselves, and see the rollout in real time. Seeing something you worked on launch worldwide? That’s powerful.

Tell us about the culture at L.E.K.

Sydney: Culture here is rooted in humility and feedback. It’s fast-paced, you have to be able to receive and act on feedback quickly. Some projects wrap in just 10 business days. But people are supportive, open, and collaborative. Everyone here is doing something cool outside of work too, which adds a great dimension to the team. In our SF office, we sometimes share fun facts at roundtables—in the last one I was at there was someone who was a professional artist, another person founded a startup. But no one brags—it’s a low-key but seriously inspiring group of people.

James: Totally agree. L.E.K. fosters a curious and collaborative environment. It’s fast-moving, but you never feel like you’re alone. When things get intense, people band together and lift each other up. That shared sense of purpose and mutual respect makes a big difference. Each sector at L.E.K. has its own personality, but the core values are constant: curiosity, impact, and support. It’s a place where you’re pushed to grow—but also where people genuinely want to see you succeed.

What advice do you have for someone hoping to join the LSS practice at L.E.K.?

James: Start by getting hands-on experience. I joined 180 Degrees Consulting and found it invaluable. Working real cases before the interview gave me tangible examples and developed my problem-solving skills. Second, build your technical toolkit—financial modeling and Excel are foundational. I’d also recommend networking and practicing both sides of case interviews. Conducting cases as the “interviewer” sharpens your skills in a whole new way. Most importantly, be proactive—consulting is competitive, but intentional preparation makes all the difference.

Sydney: I’d say the same—get real experience. Case competitions, student-run consulting groups, venture capital groups, anything that lets you test if consulting is actually a good fit. And start early. If you’re targeting a 2026 role, you should apply in 2025. Prepare seriously for both the case and behavioral parts of the interview—fit is huge. Know your story, how you work with teams, and how you overcome challenges. And once you land the offer, keep preparing. Use that year to finish your degree and get comfortable with tools like Excel, PowerPoint, and even generative AI. I use Copilot daily now—it helps me write formulas fast and even troubleshoot my work. Also, think practically. I moved from a wet lab to sitting at a desk all day and had to rethink how to stay active. Get a standing desk, plan your day intentionally—those lifestyle shifts really affect your performance. Enter the role informed and set yourself up to thrive.