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Dentons

At a Glance

Uppers

“Opportunities for growth and mentorship.”

“International opportunities, lean staffing, partner interactions, firm culture.”

“You get a decent amount of freedom.”

Downers

“Workflow is not as constant as I would like.”

“The scale of the cases does not lend itself to mastering particular litigation skills.”

“The firm's bonus policy/bonus structure.”

About 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 U.K.-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 megacombination 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. But the firm wasn’t done expanding. In January 2015, the partners of Dentons and 大成 (pronounced Da-CHUNG)—the largest law firm in China—announced the approval of an historic combination to create the largest firm in the world with more than 120 international offices. 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 from 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.

The Best of the Biggest

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

Dentons has capitalized on the strengths of its parent firms. Energy, 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 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 across the U.S. Dentons also created a consulting agency, NextLaw Labs, which is focused on providing legal technologies to attorneys and staff to increase efficiency.

News & Awards

NOTABLE CASES
  • Participating in the Hydrogen Demand Initiative coalition to create a high-impact hydrogen demand-side program designed to leverage private investment to support commercial deployment of clean hydrogen hubs by the Department of Energy.
  • Won an arbitration victory for International Fruit Genetics that cleared the way for a more than $1 billion M&A deal—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 win for the Center for Justice & Accountability and a group of Haitian human rights activists.
  • Successfully guided Borrego Community Health Foundation through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy to a successful sale.
  • Won a multi-million dollar property dispute for Simon Properties in a matter concerning the breach of a corporate guaranty.
  • Represented Ohana in the sale of the 130-room Montage Healdsburg to Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. for $265 million.
  • Advising Meta Platforms, Inc. on data protection matters globally, providing significant levels of advice and support concerning a number of data privacy matters and compliance measures.
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
  • BTI Client Service 30, 2024— BTI Consulting Group
  • Beacon of Justice Award, 2022-2024 —The National Legal Aid & Defender Association
  • “International Firm of the Year – Pro Bono”, 2022 and 2023—Euromoney Legal Media Group
  • ESG and Community Impact Leaders award, 2022 and 2023—National Law Journal
  • Pulse Leader board, 2022 and 2023—Law360
  • Practice Group of the Year: Structured Finance, 2021-2023—Law360America's Top Law firms, 2024—Time Magazine         
  • Pro Bono Recognition Roster, 2023—Public Interest Law Initiative
  • Best Companies to Work For: Law Firms, 2024—U.S. News & World Report
Dentons

Phone: (202) 496-7500

Firm Stats

Global Chief Executive Officer: Elliott Portnoy
Chair of the US Region Management Committee: Chris Carson
Total No. Attorneys (2024):
5K - 6K
No. of Partners Named 2024:
45

Base Salary

Base salary varies by location.

Employment Contact

Annie Johnston
Senior Manager, Legal Recruitment Operations
(202) 408-6420
annie.johnston@dentons.com

No. of U.S. Offices: 44

No. of International Offices: 160+

Major Office Locations

Ames, IA
Atlanta, GA
Birmingham, AL
Boston, MA
Chicago, IL
Cincinnati, OH
Dallas, TX
Denver, CO
De Moines, IA
Evansville, IN
Harrisburg, PA
Hilo, HI
Honolulu, HI
Houston, TX
Huntsville, AL
Indianapolis, IN
Jasper, IN
Kansas City, MO
Lehi, UT
Lexington, KY
Los Angeles, CA
Louisville, KY
Miami, FL
Mobile, AL
Naples, FL
New Orleans, LA
New York, NY
Ogden, UT
Orange County, CA
Phoenix, AZ
Pittsburgh, PA
Portland, ME
Salt Lake City, UT
San Diego, CA
San Francisco/Oakland, CA
Short Hills, NJ
Silicon Valley, CA
St. George, UT
St. Louis, MO
The Shoals, AL
Tuscaloosa, AL
Washington, DC
West Des Moines, IA
+160 global offices

Major Departments

Capital Markets
Commercial Litigation
Corporate
Employment & Labor
Energy
Environmental
Federal Regulatory & Compliance
Government Contracts
Health Care
Hospitality & Leisure
Immigration
Insurance
Intellectual Property & Technology
Pensions, Benefits and Executive Compensation
Public Policy
Real Estate
Restructuring Insolvency & Bankruptcy
Tax
Trusts, Estates & Wealth Preservation
Venture Technology and Emerging Growth Companies
White Collar & Government Investigations
*See firm website for complete list of practice areas and industries.