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
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]
DLA Piper is a law firm with offices in over 40 countries across the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
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 was 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.
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.
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 the managing partner of the FMC Montreal office.
Joseph Jerry Andrew is an American politician and lawyer. He was national chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from 1999 to 2001. He previously served as chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party from 1995 to 1999. He served with DNC General Chairman Ed Rendell. Asked to serve by President Bill Clinton, Andrew became, at the age of 39, one of the youngest chairpersons in the history of the DNC. He later served as chairman of the New Democratic Network, and in 2006 helped to found The Blue Fund, a mutual fund which invests in companies that contribute to Democratic campaigns.
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP is an American white shoe law firm headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The firm employs approximately 1,000 attorneys throughout 35 offices around the world.
Kaye Scholer was a law firm founded in 1917 by Benjamin Kaye and Jacob Scholer. The firm had more than 450 attorneys in nine offices located in the cities of Chicago, Frankfurt, London, Los Angeles, New York City (headquarters), Shanghai, Palo Alto, Washington, D.C., and West Palm Beach.
Howrey LLP was a global law firm that practiced antitrust, global litigation and intellectual property law. At its peak Howrey had more than 700 attorneys in 17 locations worldwide.
Denton Wilde Sapte LLP was an international law firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It merged with the United States–based law firm Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal in September 2010, forming SNR Denton. At the time of the merger, Denton Wilde Sapte had 16 offices and employed around 610 lawyers.
Thelen LLP, formerly known as Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner was a bicoastal American law firm formed by two mergers between California and New York–based law firms. The firm peaked at roughly 600 attorneys in 2006, and had 500 early in 2008, with attorneys with offices in eight cities in the United States, England and China. By the time of its decision to dissolve in late October 2008, it had shrunk to 400 attorneys through layoffs and attrition. Thelen was known for its preeminent construction practice which dates back to the 1930s and the local association between the law firm and contractors and developers of large hydroelectric dam projects. The construction practice offered regulatory, transactional and dispute resolution support. It was also known for its energy expertise, particularly in the electricity regulatory area, as well as for legal advice concerning technology and outsourcing.
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.
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.
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP (MLA) was a United States-based international law and public policy firm with more than 575 attorneys and public policy advisors in 15 offices and 13 markets. The firm provided legal, business, and public policy solutions in the areas of complex litigation, corporate law, environment, energy, family wealth, finance, insurance, global infrastructure, government contracts, health care, intellectual property, technology, and real estate.
The Seven Sisters refers to a historical collection of seven law firms with offices across Canada, the majority of which have head offices in Toronto, Ontario.
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.
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.
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.
Maclay Murray & Spens LLP was a top 100 UK law firm headquartered in Glasgow with offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and London, and was one of the UK's leading full service commercial law firms.
DeHeng Law Offices is a Beijing-based Chinese law firm ranked the third largest among domestic firms by number of lawyers. The firm is a private partnership but traces its origins as an offshoot of the China Law Office, a state-owned law office established in 1993.
↑ "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.
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$2.899 billion (2019)
