Dentons

Through a long history of combinations, Dentons is the Pac-Man of law firms. Its rapid growth began in 2010, when Chicago’s Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal—known for its real estate prowess—and United Kingdom-based Denton Wilde Sapte joined forces to create SNR Denton. Soon after, SNR Denton set its sights on Europe and Canada, courting Salans Hertzfeld & Heilbronn and Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP (FMC). The March 2013 mega combination of these three firms—SNR Denton, Salans, and FMC—created Dentons.

The new law firm was immediately one of the world’s largest, with locations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, continental Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. However, the firm wasn’t done expanding. A few months later, Dentons’ merger with McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP bolstered the firm’s presence in the southeastern United States; California; and Washington, DC.

Since then, Dentons has joined law firms in Australia, India, Latin America, the Netherlands, Singapore, and other locations. In 2020, Dentons launched a campaign to build a truly national law firm capable of seamlessly serving clients across the United States. Member firms, which include Dentons US, Dentons Bingham Greenebaum, Dentons Cohen & Grigsby, Dentons Durham Jones Pinegar, Dentons Davis Brown, and Dentons Sirote to date, leverage each other’s practice strengths and resources to provide enhanced service to clients.

In August 2023, Dentons ended its combination with the Chinese firm Dacheng and established a “preferred firm” relationship. This means Dacheng operates independently as Beijing Dacheng Law Offices while still serving as Dentons’ preferred firm in China.

In 2024, Dentons added another location to its international footprint, combining with PJS Law in the Philippines.

The Best of the Biggest

Lawyers at Dentons work in 40 practice areas across 24 different sectors, including financial institutions and the government, and the energy, life science, healthcare, manufacturing, private equity, real estate, technology, and transportation industries.

Dentons has capitalized on the strengths of its parent firms. Capital markets, insurance, real estate, banking and finance, and litigation have emerged as the firm’s primary practices. In addition, Dentons is home to the largest energy, mining, and natural resources practice of any law firm, with its long-established Washington, DC, team handling transactional, litigation, and regulatory matters for energy sector clients. Dentons also boasts the world’s largest integrated global real estate practice. Its international client base includes foreign governments, global banks, multinational media outlets, and other influential organizations.

Better, Stronger, Faster … and Healthier

Although it is a behemoth, Dentons is responsive when it comes to its associates’ quality of life. The firm’s Wellness for Life program includes webinars on work-life balance and stress management and a pilot program with an on-site wellness coach who provides counseling and referrals for professional or personal concerns. A robust associate curriculum supports associates at pivotal points in their career, and formal mentoring programs help develop and grow the next generation of leaders. The firm also supports numerous pod programs to foster cross-office and cross-practice connections in the United States.

• Won an arbitration victory for International Fruit Genetics that cleared the way for an M&A deal worth more than $1 billion, the largest ever in its industry.
• Secured a victory for American Campus Communities at the Texas Supreme Court in connection with alleged violations of the Texas Property Code.
• Won a pro bono federal jury case for the Center for Justice & Accountability and a group of Haitian human rights activists.
• Successfully led nonprofit healthcare provider Borrego Community Health Foundation through Chapter 11 bankruptcy in record time after a threat by the California Medi-Cal program to suspend 100% of Borrego's payments.

• BTI Client Service All Stars, 2024— BTI Consulting
• Litigation Department of the Year, General Litigation, 2025—Daily Report
• Prestige Leaders, 2024—Law360
• Beacon of Justice Award, 2022-2025—The National Legal Aid & Defender Association
• International Firm of the Year—Pro Bono, 2022, 2023—Euromoney Legal Media Group