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Dentons

Dentons is a multinational law firm based in the United States.

Dentons
HeadquartersDecentralised[1]
No. of offices160[2]
No. of lawyers5,600+
Key peopleElliott Portnoy
(Chief Executive Officer)
Nicholas Howon Park
(Non-Executive Chairman of the Global Board)
RevenueIncrease $2.899 billion (2019)
Profit per equity partner$1.07 million (2018)
Date founded28 March 2013 (By merger)
FounderSNR Denton, Salans and Fraser Milner Casgrain
Company typeSwiss Verein
Websitedentons.com

Dentons was founded in March 2013 by the merger of SNR Denton, Fraser Milner Casgrain and Salans. Following its merger with Chinese law firm Dacheng in November 2015, Dentons became the largest law firm in the world by number of lawyers and has the most offices of any law firm in the world.[3]

As of April 2023, Dentons operated in 80+ countries and had 160+ offices. The firm has no headquarters, although the firm's senior leadership are primarily based in London and Washington, D.C. Dentons is structured as a Swiss Verein called Dentons Group,[4] which does not itself provide legal services. The verein encapsulates multiple co-operating legal entities, namely Dentons Canada LLP, Dentons Europe LLP, Dentons UK and Middle East LLP, and Dentons US LLP, amongst others.

Elliott Portnoy is the Global Chief Executive Officer.[5] In March 2023, Joseph Andrew stepped down as the Global Chairman of Dentons, which was a position he held since the inception of the firm.[6] In December 2023, Elliott announced his intention to stand down as Global CEO in November 2024.[7]

History

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On 11 November 2012, SNR Denton, Salans and the Canada-based Fraser Milner Casgrain announced a three-way merger, forming a new law firm structured as a Swiss Verein and named Dentons.[8][9] The partners of the three firms ratified the merger on 28 November 2012, and it was completed on 28 March 2013.[10] Dentons opened an office in Houston, Texas in September 2013.[11]

On January 26, 2015, Dentons announced that it was combining with a Chinese firm, Dacheng (Chinese: 大成) which was completed in November 2015. The new firm was called 大成 (Dacheng) in Chinese and "Dentons" in other languages, with a logo featuring the Chinese and English names combined as "大成 Dentons." Following the combination, Dentons surpassed Baker & McKenzie and DLA Piper, the world's previous top law firms by headcount, by at least 2,500 lawyers.[12]

In April 2015, Dentons US agreed to a merger with Atlanta-based law firm McKenna Long & Aldridge which was completed in June of that year.[13] The firm also opened new offices in Hungary, Luxembourg and South Africa during 2015 and announced combinations with firms in Australia, Colombia, and Mexico.[14] It also launched Nextlaw Labs, a business accelerator focused on new technologies., in May 2015. Dentons also announced in November 2016 that it would become the first global law firm with a footprint in Central America by combining with Muñoz Global, adding offices in Panama, Nicaragua and Costa Rica operating as Dentons Muñoz was created as the Costa Rican and Central American chapter of Dentons.[15]

In April 2016, Dentons launched in Singapore by combining with the oldest and one of the most prestigious law firms in Singapore, Rodyk & Davidson. In December 2016, Dentons launched in Australia and Papua New Guinea by combining with leading Australian law firm Gadens. The Sydney, Perth and Port Moresby offices of Gadens joined Dentons, while the Adelaide and Brisbane offices became "associate offices" and the Melbourne office remained independent. The Gadens combination resulted in Dentons having approximately 7,600 lawyers serving 57 countries.[16]

In 2017, Dentons merged with Scottish firm Maclay Murray & Spens. In 2017 the firm formed a strategic alliance with opposition research firm Definers Public Affairs, dubbed 3D Global Affairs.[17] As of April 12 of 2018, Dentons announced partnerships in Kenya, Mauritius, Caribbean, Indonesia and Malaysia.[18]

On June 2, 2021, Denton announced the launch of Dentons Global Advisors,[19] composed of founding member Albright Stonebridge Group along with a team of seasoned advisory industry leaders, including Ed Reilly, who serves as chief executive officer (CEO).

On July 27, 2021, Interel, an award-winning pan-European public affairs consultancy, joined Dentons Global Advisors,[20] now known as Dentons Global Advisors Interel. In June 2024, Dentons Global Advisors rebranded to DGA Group.[21]

Also in 2021, Dentons appointed its first Global Inclusion & Diversity Officer, Kate Broer.[22] Reporting directly to the Global CEO, Broer acts as a special advisor to the Dentons Global Board, guides the Firmwide leadership, and develops and drives the strategy forward.

In 2022 Dentons combined with Zaanouni Law Firm & Associates in Tunisia[23] and LuatViet in Vietnam.[24] In October 2022, the Firm announced a combination with Indian law firm Link Legal.[25] Also in 2022, Dentons hired Aragon St-Charles as the firm's first ever Global ESG Officer.[26]

In March 2023, Dentons announced its intention to combine with Philippines-based PJS Law.[27] In February 2024, the combination [28] with PJS Law was officially launched. In May 2023, Dentons launched its combination with Indian law firm Link Legal,[29] making it the first global law firm to combine with a law firm in India.

In August 2023, Dentons modified its relationship with Dacheng which now operates as Beijing Dacheng Law Offices (大成) — a separate law firm under a "preferred firm" relationship with Dentons.[30]

Notable attorneys

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References

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  1. ^ "New-look Dentons to be 'most multi-cultural' law firm". The Lawyer. 12 November 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  2. ^ "Global presence".
  3. ^ "Dentons and China's Dacheng Poised for Historic Union". American Lawyer. 22 January 2015.
  4. ^ "Dentons Group (a Swiss Verein) in the Commercial Register Zurich". Commercial Register Zurich. 8 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Elliott I. Portnoy". www.dentons.com. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  6. ^ Merken, Sara (2022-11-07). "Dentons' Joe Andrew, former DNC chair, to leave role as law firm's global chairman". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  7. ^ Griffiths, Catrin (2023-12-14). "Dentons launches search for new boss as global CEO announces departure". The Lawyer | Legal insight, benchmarking data and jobs. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  8. ^ "SNR Denton and Salans prepare to seal three-way deal with Canada's FMC". The Lawyer. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  9. ^ "SNR Denton prepares for mega-merger". The Washington Post. 11 November 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  10. ^ "Salans, SNR and FMC approve three-way merger after partner votes". The Lawyer. 28 November 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  11. ^ "Dentons launches in Houston to target energy work". The Lawyer. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  12. ^ "Dacheng Inks Merger with Dentons, Creates Legal Behemoth". Legal Business Online. 22 January 2015. Archived from the original on 27 January 2015.
  13. ^ "Dentons to merge with smaller law firm McKenna Long" (Press release). Reuters. 8 April 2015.
  14. ^ Cohen, Mark A. (9 December 2015). "Around The World, It's 'Hola, Dentons!'". Bloomberg BNA. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  15. ^ "Dentons Enters Central America With New Firm Combo - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved 2016-12-06.
  16. ^ "Dentons Tacks On 3 Gadens Offices In Downsized Tie-Up - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved 2016-12-06.
  17. ^ "Lobbying world". The Hill. December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2017. Law and lobby firm Dentons has launched 3D Global Affairs as part of an alliance with strategic communications and political intelligence firm Definers Public Affairs, run by Matt Rhoades, the former campaign manager for Mitt Romney's presidential run in 2012 and former Republican National Committee research director Joe Pounder. 3D Global Affairs offers clients legal teams, lobbying and advocacy help, digital advertising, data analytics, opposition research and political intelligence, among other services.
  18. ^ "Dentons announces seven new partnerships - Leaders League". www.leadersleague.com. Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  19. ^ "Dentons launches new global advisory business to expand beyond legal services". www.globallegalpost.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  20. ^ Merken, Sara (2021-07-27). "Dentons consultancy charts European expansion with Interel deal". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  21. ^ "Dentons Global Advisors rebrands to reflect independence". PRWeek.com International. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  22. ^ "Toronto lawyer named Dentons' global inclusion and diversity officer - Law360 Canada". www.thelawyersdaily.ca. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  23. ^ Mizner, Andrew. "ALB - African Law and Business". ALB Legal and Business Issues from Africa. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  24. ^ "Dentons expands ASEAN network with Vietnam combination | Asian Legal Business". www.legalbusinessonline.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  25. ^ Thomas, David; Dixit, Nimitt; Thomas, David; Dixit, Nimitt (2022-10-11). "Dentons to combine with Indian law firm Link Legal". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  26. ^ "Dentons Hires First ESG Head from Hogan Lovells". Law.com International. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  27. ^ "Dentons Combination To Fill ASEAN 'Hole' In Philippines - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  28. ^ Grace (2024-02-05). "Dentons-Philippines law firm combination goes live". Law.asia. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
  29. ^ "Dentons' 'historic' India combination goes live". www.globallegalpost.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  30. ^ Miller, Joe (2023-08-10). "'The ground rules have changed': Dentons' retreat exposes China risks". Financial Times. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  31. ^ "Joe Andrew of Dentons Goes Out on Top—Just Like Everyone Else". news.bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
  32. ^ "Dentons Hires Trump Admin Vet in Public Policy Practice—and Other 'On the Move' News". Daily Report. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  33. ^ "Jean Chrétien". www.dentons.com. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  34. ^ "David Syed". www.dentons.com. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
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