Dentons

Dentons is the world’s biggest law firm - by headcount at least - with over 12,000 lawyers spread across 200 offices in 80 countries. Concrete proof that not all good things come in small packages.

The firm’s origins date way back to 1788 with the founding of Denton Hall in London. Its modern incarnation came about in 2013 through a three-way merger between transatlantic firm SNR Denton (itself the successor to respected City outfit Denton Wilde Sapte), French firm Salans, and Canadian firm Fraser Milner Casgrain (FMC).

Operating under a Swiss verein structure, Dentons functions as a network of independent firms. This model has certainly driven rapid growth. Since 2013, it has merged with over 40 firms, making it one of the fastest-growing law firms in history.

The biggest shake-up came in 2015 with a blockbuster merger with Chinese giant Dacheng. The tie-up was short-lived unfortunately. In 2023, government-imposed security restrictions forced Dentons to split from its Chinese arm, nearly halving its lawyer count.

That didn’t slow Dentons down, however. The firm had already been expanding at pace and few firms can match its global footprint.

It has offices in nearly every major financial hub, from London to New York, Paris to Singapore. It was the first global law firm in Central America and has expanded in Korea, Africa and the Middle East.

The UK remains a key market. As you might expect, the London office is Dentons’ biggest in the UK. It also has a presence in Milton Keynes. In 2017, a merger with elite Scottish firm Maclay Murray & Spens expanded the firm into Scotland, adding offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Aside from its vast global footprint, Dentons is known for being a full-service powerhouse. It excels in corporate, energy, real estate, and disputes. Its unrivalled global network gives it a notable edge in cross-border work, much like similarly sized rivals DLA Piper and Eversheds Sutherland.