• Our culture
• Our people
  • Ming Da Wang
  • Helen Munro
  • Jessica Morris
  • Jeremy Cape
• Placements
• Campus events
• Salary & benefits
• Frequently asked questions
• Contact us
• About the firm
• Our work & clients
• Training contracts
• Application & interview process
• Graduate brochure
• Application form

• Home
• Our people
• Helen Munro

Helen Munro – trainee – Real Estate (planning)

Studied Geochemistry at the University of St. Andrews. She worked in oil and gas research and consulting for six years prior to doing the GDL and LPC and joined Denton Wilde Sapte in 2006

I was keen to do my training contract at a firm with a strong energy practice so I could use my industry experience. Denton Wilde Sapte was often mentioned as one of the best, with major industry clients such as Shell, but it also seemed to have managed to retain a ‘human’ feel.

My first seat was in the Corporate department, where I worked on a variety of tasks. I learnt the importance of good drafting and thorough research and became the main point of contact for the client on some transactions, which was a great learning experience. Throughout my seat, I was part of several inter-department teams, working on complex deals. On one particular deal I was given a lot of responsibility during the closing meetings. This involved a lot of client contact, which, while challenging at times, was ultimately very rewarding. I was also involved in business development initiatives, including assisting with internal and external conferences which targeted the energy industry. I was delighted to be able to get involved in these events, as they not only gave me the opportunity to meet clients, but also let me see how my new career could usefully link with my old one.

In my first seat, I was elected to act as a trainee representative. This included assisting with recruitment events and organising trainee social events – there is always something going on in the firm, from yoga classes to dragonboat racing and a talent show!

One of the reasons I was attracted to Denton Wilde Sapte was the chance to do a seat abroad, so I was delighted to be able to go to Abu Dhabi for my second seat. The Middle East network of offices is significant to the firm’s success so it was great to be able to experience working in one of the offices first hand. My seat was primarily in Asset Finance seat and I worked on a number of interesting deals. However, as I was the only trainee in the office, I also became involved in work with other departments. Besides this leading to a lot of responsibility and client contact, it also meant that I got to know everyone in the office really well so had a lot of fun socialising as well as working.

I have just started my third seat and am now in the Real Estate department. I deal with a wide variety of matters and have a lot of client contact. The seat promises new challenges and as in previous seats, all the partners, lawyers and support staff are very approachable, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.

I have worked hard over the last year, have made a lot of friends, continued to play rugby at a high level, got involved in pro-bono work and spent six months in the Middle East. Every firm will tell you that it can offer you high quality work while also allowing you to have fun and have a life outside of work. From my experiences so far, while there will always be times where work has to take precedence, this actually seems true at Denton Wilde Sapte.