Dentons

Last updated
Dentons
Dentons logo.svg
HeadquartersDecentralised [1]
No. of offices160 [2]
No. of lawyers5,600+
Key people
Elliott Portnoy
(Chief Executive Officer)
Nicholas Howon Park
(Non-Executive Chairman of the Global Board)
RevenueIncrease2.svg $2.899 billion (2019)
Profit per equity partner$1.07 million (2018)
Date founded28 March 2013 (By merger)
Founder SNR Denton, Salans and Fraser Milner Casgrain
Company type Swiss Verein
Website dentons.com

Dentons is the world's largest global law firm by number of lawyers [3] and the 6th-largest law firm by revenue. [4] [5]

Contents

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. [6]

As of April 2023, Dentons operates in 80+ countries and has 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, [7] 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. [8] 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. [9] In December 2023, Elliott announced his intention to stand down as Global CEO in November 2024. [10]

History

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. [11] [12] The partners of the three firms ratified the merger on 28 November 2012, and it was completed on 28 March 2013. [13] Dentons opened an office in Houston, Texas in September 2013. [14]

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. [15]

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. [16] The firm also opened new offices in Hungary, Luxembourg and South Africa during 2015 and announced combinations with firms in Australia, Colombia, and Mexico. [17] 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. [18]

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. [19]

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. [20] As of April 12 of 2018, Dentons announced partnerships in Kenya, Mauritius, Caribbean, Indonesia and Malaysia. [21]

In 2018:

In 2019, Dentons combined with Bingham Greenebaum Doll (from the Midwest) and Pittsburgh-based Cohen & Grigsby. [31]

In 2020:

In 2021 Dentons combined with:

In the same year, Dentons also opened an office in Grenada [52] and it opened Montevideo's Zona Franca office in Uruguay. [53]

On June 2, 2021, Denton announced the launch of Dentons Global Advisors, [54] 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, [55] now known as Dentons Global Advisors Interel.

Also in 2021, Dentons appointed its first Global Inclusion & Diversity Officer, Kate Broer. [56] 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 [57] and LuatViet in Vietnam. [58] In October 2022, the Firm announced a combination with Indian law firm Link Legal. [59] Also in 2022, Dentons hired Aragon St-Charles as the firm's first ever Global ESG Officer. [60]

In March 2023, Dentons announced its intention to combine with Philippines-based PJS Law. [61] In February 2024, the combination [62] with PJS Law was officially launched. In May 2023, Dentons launched its combination with Indian law firm Link Legal, [63] 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. [64]

Notable attorneys

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shearman & Sterling</span> Multinational law firm based in New York City

Shearman & Sterling LLP is a multinational law firm headquartered in New York City, United States.

Linklaters LLP is a British multinational law firm, headquartered in London, England. Founded in 1838, it is one of the five prestigious "Magic Circle" law firms known for their corporate and financial expertise. It currently employs over 3100 lawyers across 31 offices in 21 countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DLA Piper</span> Multinational law firm

DLA Piper is a law firm with offices in over 40 countries throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. In 2021, it was the third largest law firm in the United States by revenue.

White & Case LLP is a global white-shoe law firm based in New York City. Founded in 1901, the firm has 46 offices in 31 countries worldwide.

Allen & Overy LLP is a British multinational law firm headquartered in London, England. The firm has 590 partners and over 5,800 employees worldwide. In 2023 A&O reported an increase in revenue to GBP2.1 billion and is the second largest law firm headquartered in the UK by revenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe</span>

Orrick is an international law firm founded in San Francisco, California. The firm advises on transactions, litigation and regulatory matters for venture-backed companies, public companies, E&I funds, financial institutions and governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fraser Milner Casgrain</span>

As of March 28, 2013, Fraser Milner Casgrain combined with Salans and SNR Denton to form Dentons.

Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP (FMC) was a Canadian business, litigation, and a tax law firm. With more than 560 lawyers, it was the sixth largest law firm in Canada as well as the largest law firm in Western Canada. Until 1984, FMC was a fully integrated national partnership with offices in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver. In 1985, Fraser Milner Casgrain underwent a major administration change. Terrence Young was appointed as chief executive officer, and he initiated FMC's expansion into Hong Kong, making FMC a multi-national law firm. Young was CEO for 13 years, until the 1998 merger between Fraser and Beatty and Alberta-based law firm Milner Fenerty. On November 8, 2012, it was announced that FMC would combine with international law firms SNR Denton and Salans to form Dentons. FMC's most recent CEO before its second merger was Michel Brunet. He was appointed as CEO in 2006 and was Managing Partner of the FMC Montreal office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dechert</span> American law firm

Dechert LLP is a multinational American law firm of more than 900 lawyers with practices in corporate and securities, complex litigation, finance and real estate, financial services, asset management, and private equity. In 2021, the firm raised revenues by 25%, with a total of $1.3 billion. On Law.com's 2022 Global 200 survey, Dechert ranked as the 41st highest grossing law firm in the world.

Salans LLP was an international commercial law firm. It was founded in 1978 in Paris as Salans Hertzfeld & Heilbronn and in March 2013 merged with the Anglo-American law firm SNR Denton and the Canada-based law firm Fraser Milner Casgrain, forming Dentons.

Reed Smith LLP is a global law firm with more than 1,500 lawyers in 30 offices throughout the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Clyde & Co is a global law firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The firm is one of the top 10 largest law firms in the City of London and has the largest dispute resolution practice of any UK law firm. It employs 2,600 legal professionals and more than 5,000 total staff. In 2022–23, Clyde & Co's revenue was £788.6 million.

Travers Smith LLP is a corporate law firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It advises national and multinational companies in the UK and internationally across the full range of corporate and commercial matters.

Elliott I. Portnoy is an American attorney and the Global chief executive officer of Dentons—a law firm that launched March 28, 2013 with the combination of US/UKMEA firm SNR Denton, Canada's Fraser Milner Casgrain and France's Salans. Dentons is now the largest law firm in the world.

Stephenson Harwood LLP is a law firm with over 1,300 people worldwide, including more than 200 partners. Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with eight offices across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. In 2020/21 it achieved total revenues of £209 million and profits per equity partner of £685,000 (2020/21)

SNR Denton was a multinational law firm co-headquartered in London and Washington, D.C. The firm operated in 60 locations across 43 countries and had around 1,250 lawyers. It was one of the 25-largest law firms in the world, with revenues of around $750 million in 2011/12.

Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton is an American multinational law firm headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The firm has twenty-two offices, including U.S. offices in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Washington State, and the District of Columbia, and has presence via international offices in Japan, Beijing, Shanghai, and Sweden. The firm is particularly known for its intellectual property practice. Clients have included Google in litigation related to its Google Print product, and Sony in its suit against 21-year-old hacker George Hotz for jailbreaking the PS3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dacheng Law Offices</span> Chinese law firm

Dacheng Law Offices was a multinational law firm headquartered in Beijing, China. In November 2015, Dacheng merged with the global law firm Dentons. At the time of the merger, Dacheng was the largest China-based law firm measured by number of lawyers. According to The American Lawyer's 2012 survey, it was the tenth-largest law firm in the world by number of lawyers, and the largest headquartered outside the English-speaking world.

King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) is an international commercial law firm headquartered in Hong Kong. It is the largest international law firm in Asia-Pacific. It has thirty offices and more than 3,500 legal professionals in Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East.

Fenwick & West LLP is a law firm of more than 470 attorneys with offices in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Seattle, New York City, Santa Monica, Washington, DC and Shanghai. The firm focuses on the technology and life sciences sectors, advising clients at all stages from startups to public companies. Fenwick has been embroiled in legal issues with the US law enforcement and multiple class action lawsuits due to their representation of FTX, for whom they allegedly created shell companies in order to launder money and skirt regulatory scrutiny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DWF Group</span> Company

DWF is a global legal business, headquartered in London, England, with 31 offices across the world. In March 2019, DWF was listed on the London Stock Exchange. With a £366m valuation and offer size of £95m, DWF became the UK's largest listed law firm.

References

  1. ↑ "New-look Dentons to be 'most multi-cultural' law firm". The Lawyer. 12 November 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  2. ↑ "Global presence".
  3. ↑ "The 2022 Global 200 Ranked by Head Count". Law.com International. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  4. ↑ "World's Biggest Law Firm Gobbles Up Indian Firm, Gets Even Bigger In Historic Move". abovethelaw.com. 12 October 2022.
  5. ↑ "The 2022 Global 200 Ranked by Revenue". Law.com International. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  6. ↑ "Dentons and China's Dacheng Poised for Historic Union". American Lawyer. 22 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "Dentons Group (a Swiss Verein) in the Commercial Register Zurich". Commercial Register Zurich. 8 July 2022.
  8. ↑ "Elliott I. Portnoy". www.dentons.com. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ 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.
  11. ↑ "SNR Denton and Salans prepare to seal three-way deal with Canada's FMC". The Lawyer. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  12. ↑ "SNR Denton prepares for mega-merger". The Washington Post. 11 November 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  13. ↑ "Salans, SNR and FMC approve three-way merger after partner votes". The Lawyer. 28 November 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  14. ↑ "Dentons launches in Houston to target energy work". The Lawyer. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  15. ↑ "Dacheng Inks Merger with Dentons, Creates Legal Behemoth". Legal Business Online. 22 January 2015. Archived from the original on 27 January 2015.
  16. ↑ "Dentons to merge with smaller law firm McKenna Long" (Press release). Reuters. 8 April 2015.
  17. ↑ Cohen, Mark A. (9 December 2015). "Around The World, It's 'Hola, Dentons!'". Bloomberg BNA. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  18. ↑ "Dentons Enters Central America With New Firm Combo - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved 2016-12-06.
  19. ↑ "Dentons Tacks On 3 Gadens Offices In Downsized Tie-Up - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved 2016-12-06.
  20. ↑ "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.
  21. ↑ "Dentons announces seven new partnerships - Leaders League". www.leadersleague.com. Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  22. ↑ Mizner, Andrew. "ALB - African Law and Business". ALB Legal and Business Issues from Africa. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  23. ↑ Mizner, Andrew. "ALB - African Law and Business". ALB Legal and Business Issues from Africa. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  24. ↑ Staff (2018-03-15). "Law firm Dentons to combine with Dinner Martin". Cayman Compass. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  25. ↑ "Seven wonders: Globetrotting Dentons combines with firms in Africa, the Caribbean and South East Asia". Legal Business. 2018-03-14. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  26. ↑ "Dentons launches an office in Latin America in El Salvador". legalisglobal.com. 2018-02-14. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  27. ↑ Walters2019-01-22T16:11:00+00:00, Max. "Dentons takes over from Norton Rose in Venezuela". Law Gazette. Retrieved 2023-05-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  28. ↑ "Dentons Completes Malaysian, Indonesian Combinations--Updated". The American Lawyer. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  29. ↑ "Dentons Completes Malaysian, Indonesian Combinations--Updated". The American Lawyer. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  30. ↑ "Dentons Launches Combination With Leading Law Firm In Hawai'i (Video)". www.mondaq.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  31. ↑ October 07, Dan Packel |; PM, 2019 at 09:15. "Dentons Combines With Two US Firms in One Go, Launching New American Strategy". The American Lawyer. Retrieved 2020-03-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  32. ↑ "Dentons unveils combination with Salt Lake City's Durham Jones & Pinegar". www.globallegalpost.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  33. ↑ Thomas, David (2021-06-07). "Dentons ties knot with Alabama law firm in latest midsize U.S. combo". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  34. ↑ "Dentons powers up with NZ combo". www.globallegalpost.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  35. ↑ "Dentons eyes Korea through combination with Lee International | Asian Legal Business". www.legalbusinessonline.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  36. ↑ adam.critchley@iberianlegalgroup.com (2020-04-20). "Dentons combines with Uruguay's Jiménez de Aréchaga". The Latinamerican Lawyer. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  37. ↑ "Dentons Launches Combination With Rattagan Macchiavello Arocena in Argentina". Law.com International. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  38. ↑ "Dentons Opens Offices in the British Virgin Islands and St. Lucia". Law.com International. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  39. ↑ "Dentons Expands Latin America Footprint With Medellín Office". Law.com International. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  40. ↑ "IN BRIEF: Dentons to open an office in Dublin". Reuters. 2020-01-08. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  41. ↑ "Dentons: The world's largest law firm to combine with an elite firm in Tanzania". Invest Africa. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  42. ↑ Mizner, Andrew. "ALB - African Law and Business". ALB Legal and Business Issues from Africa. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  43. ↑ "Worlds largest law firm penetrates Zambia, merges with Eric Silwamba Jalasi and Linyama Practitioners – The Business Telegraph". 2023-04-27. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  44. ↑ "Dentons Opens New China Office". Law.com International. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  45. ↑ Thomas, David (2021-06-07). "Dentons ties knot with Alabama law firm in latest midsize U.S. combo". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  46. ↑ "Dentons Combines With 52-Lawyer Nigerian Firm". Law.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  47. ↑ "Dentons unveils deal to combine with Iowa's Davis Brown". www.globallegalpost.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  48. ↑ Desire, Legal (2021-03-15). "Dentons launches combination with East African Law Chambers (EALC) in Tanzania". Legal Desire Media and Insights. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  49. ↑ "Ecuador's Paz Horowitz Abogados combines with Dentons". www.leadersleague.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  50. ↑ "Dentons becomes first global firm in Bolivia with Guevara & Gutiérrez combination". www.globallegalpost.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  51. ↑ "Dentons Finalises Mozambique Combination After Almost Two Years". Law.com International. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  52. ↑ "Dentons Expands Caribbean Footprint With Grenada Office". Law.com International. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  53. ↑ "Dentons launches free trade zone office in Uruguay". latinlawyer.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  54. ↑ "Dentons launches new global advisory business to expand beyond legal services". www.globallegalpost.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  55. ↑ Merken, Sara (2021-07-27). "Dentons consultancy charts European expansion with Interel deal". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  56. ↑ "Toronto lawyer named Dentons' global inclusion and diversity officer - Law360 Canada". www.thelawyersdaily.ca. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  57. ↑ Mizner, Andrew. "ALB - African Law and Business". ALB Legal and Business Issues from Africa. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  58. ↑ "Dentons expands ASEAN network with Vietnam combination | Asian Legal Business". www.legalbusinessonline.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  59. ↑ 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.
  60. ↑ "Dentons Hires First ESG Head from Hogan Lovells". Law.com International. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  61. ↑ "Dentons Combination To Fill ASEAN 'Hole' In Philippines - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  62. ↑ Grace (2024-02-05). "Dentons-Philippines law firm combination goes live". Law.asia. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
  63. ↑ "Dentons' 'historic' India combination goes live". www.globallegalpost.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
  64. ↑ Miller, Joe (2023-08-10). "'The ground rules have changed': Dentons' retreat exposes China risks". Financial Times. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  65. ↑ "Dentons Hires Trump Admin Vet in Public Policy Practice—and Other 'On the Move' News". Daily Report. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  66. ↑ "David Syed". www.dentons.com. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  67. ↑ "Jean Chrétien". www.dentons.com. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  68. ↑ "Joe Andrew of Dentons Goes Out on Top—Just Like Everyone Else". news.bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.