This article reads like a press release or a news article and may be largely based on routine coverage. (June 2023) |
Dentons is the world's largest global law firm by number of lawyers[3] and the 6th-largest law firm by revenue.[4][5]
 | |
| Headquarters | Decentralised[1] |
|---|---|
| No. of offices | 160[2] |
| No. of lawyers | 5,600+ |
| Key people | Elliott Portnoy (Chief Executive Officer) Nicholas Howon Park (Non-Executive Chairman of the Global Board) |
| Revenue |  $2.899 billion (2019) |
| Profit per equity partner | $1.07 million (2018) |
| Date founded | 28 March 2013 (By merger) |
| Founder | SNR Denton, Salans and Fraser Milner Casgrain |
| Company type | Swiss Verein |
| Website | dentons.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.[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 edit
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:
- Dentons announced a combination with Hamilton, Harrison & Mathews in Kenya.[22]
- Dentons announced a combination with Mardemootoo Solicitors and Balgobin Chambers in Mauritius.[23]
- Dentons combined with Dinner Martin in the Cayman Islands.[24]
- Dentons combined with Delany Law in the Eastern Caribbean.[25]
- Dentons opened an office in El Salvador.[26]
- Dentons opened an office in Nicaragua.[27]
- Dentons combined with Hanafiah Ponggawa & Partners in Indonesia.[28]
- Dentons combined with Zain & Co. in Malaysia.[29]
- Dentons combined with Hawai'i, Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing.[30]
In 2019, Dentons combined with Bingham Greenebaum Doll (from the Midwest) and Pittsburgh-based Cohen & Grigsby.[31]
In 2020:
- Dentons announced a combination with Salt Lake City-based Durham Jones and Pinegar.[32]
- Dentons announced a combination with Alabama law firm, Sirote & Permutt ("Sirote").[33]
- Dentons launched Dentons Kensington Swan in New Zealand.[34]
- Dentons announced a combination with Lee International in South Korea.[35]
- Dentons combined with Jiménez de Aréchaga, Viana & Brause in Uruguay.[36]
- Dentons combined with Rattagan Machiavello Arocena in Argentina.[37]
- Dentons also opened offices in the British Virgin Islands and St. Lucia.[38]
- Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas expanded its presence in Colombia, opening a new office in Medellín, four years after the combination with Dentons.[39]
- Dentons announced Dublin office opening.[40]
- Dentons announced a combination with Tanzanian law firm, East African Law Chambers (EALC).[41]
- Dentons announced a combination with LEAD Advogados in Angola.[42]
- Dentons combines with Eric Silwamba Jalasi and Linyama Legal Practitioners in Zambia.[43]
- Dentons China opened a new office in Sanya in the Hainan province[44]
In 2021 Dentons combined with:
- Sirote & Permutt, P.C. in the United States.[45]
- ACAS-Law in Nigeria.[46]
- Davis Brown Law Firm in the United States.[47]
- East African Law Chambers (EALC) in Tanzania.[48]
- Paz Horowitz Abogados in Ecuador.[49]
- Guevara & Gutierrez in Bolivia.[50]
- Fernanda Lopes & Associados-Advogados in Mozambique.[51]
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 edit
- Nicholas Allard, Dean and President of Brooklyn Law School
- Joseph Andrew, former chair of the Democratic National Committee.[65]
- Ashley Bell, former advisor in the White House Office of American Innovation; partner in Dentons' policy practice[66]
- Jeff Bleich, former U.S. Ambassador to Australia
- Jean Chretien, former Prime Minister of Canada[67]
- George W. Darden, former Member U.S. House of Representatives; presidential appointee to the Board of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation; Advisor on behalf of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
- Philip Jeyaretnam SC, Judge of the Supreme Court of Singapore
- Stefan Passantino, attorney, former member Office of White House Counsel
- Elliott Portnoy, attorney, Dentons CEO
- David Syed, Head of Sovereign Practice[68]
- Scott Turow, author and lawyer