Ming Da Wang – trainee – Competition
Studied Law at Cambridge University and joined Denton Wilde Sapte in March 2009
I remember joining Denton Wilde Sapte as a summer scheme student back in 2007. As someone unfamiliar with the workings of a City law firm, the one week placement was an intense but rewarding experience. I enjoyed taking part in the business games and negotiation exercises, and I had the opportunity to learn about the firm first-hand by chatting to trainees over coffee and being shown around the different departments. By the time the placement ended over drinks at the local bar, I’d already formed a good impression of the firm’s people and culture.
I started my training contract at Denton Wilde Sapte in early 2009 not fully knowing what to expect in the midst of the economic downturn. Six months later, at the end of my first seat in the Trade Finance team, I can confidently say that my time in the seat has been very valuable and my experience has been far more diverse than I imagined. During the past months, I have been engaged in matters ranging as far afield as Brazil, Russia and Nigeria, often liaising with and working alongside our international offices to deal with cross-border legal requirements.
My training so far has been very broad, with the opportunity to take on responsibility and be involved as a core member of the team. One particularly interesting matter which I have worked on was advising on the restructuring of a foreign bank: whether it’s rushing to a client’s office to attend a negotiation meeting or coordinating with members from different departments to achieve specific milestones, the issues are frequently unique and always stimulating.
As you would expect of a City firm, everyone in the team works hard and the hours are often long; but there’s always someone around to help you out or provide you with support when you need it, whether it’s your supervisor, other trainees, the secretaries or the partners. I quickly found that everyone in the team is genuinely friendly and approachable: it isn’t uncommon for a senior lawyer to pop in for a quick chat about the latest developments on a matter, or to brief you on something you don’t understand.
Of course, it’s not all about the work. The trainee committee often organises drinks, barbeques and other social events, often at one of the numerous and popular and bars scattered near the Fleet Place offices.
I have now just gone into my second seat, which is split up between the Competition department and the insolvency litigation team of our Dispute Resolution department. Having spent a busy six months in the transactional environment of the Banking seat, I’m looking forward to the challenge of working in an entirely different area of law.