Dentons has joined forces with seven leading law firms in growth areas around the world. The firms are based in Kenya, Mauritus, the Caribbean, Indonesia and Malysia. The firms are Hamilton, Harrison & Mathews in Kenya; Mardemootoo Solicitors and Balgobin Chambers in Mauritius; Dinner Martin in the Cayman Islands and Delany Law in the Eastern Caribbean (including offices in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago); Hanafiah Ponggawa & Partners (HPRP) in Indonesia; and Zain & Co. in Malaysia. The seven combinations, following approval by partners and subject to meeting regulatory requirements in each jurisdiction, are expected to launch later in 2018 giving the firm access to lawyers working in 73 countries. 

Pan-African law firm

The combinations in Kenya and Mauritius follow in the wake of last year's combination in neighbouring Uganda with Kampala Associated Advocates. Dentons traces its presence in Africa to the establishment of a Cairo, Egypt, office in 1964. It also has offices in Casablanca, Morocco, and Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa, as well as Uganda. The firm says in a release that these combinations will further allow it to pursue its Africa strategy to become a pan-African law firm that reaches more of Africa than its competitors.

Caribbean strategy

The combinations in Barbados, the Cayman Islands and other islands in the Caribbean are forged in the wake of expansion in Latin America, with a strategic alliance launched last year with Brazil's Vella Pugliese Buosi Guidoni as well as a combination with Gallo Barrios Pickmann in Peru. They also follow the earlier launch of Dentons Muñoz in Central America, and of Dentons López Velarde in Mexico and Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas in Colombia. These moves are part of Dentons' long-term strategy to build the firm's presence in Latin America and the Caribbean. The combinations in Indonesia and Malaysia follow on recent combinations with firms in nations that are also members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Singapore and Myanmar.

Faster growth

'We are growing faster in Latin America and the Caribbean – and with truly high quality firms – in a way that no one has ever done before,' said Elliott Portnoy, global CEO of Dentons. 'Our new offices in Mauritius and Kenya complement our growing pan-African presence, coming on the heels of our expansion in neighbouring Uganda just last year. And our expansion in Indonesia and Malaysia builds on our presence in Singapore and Myanmar in the dynamic South East Asia region.'

Key business sectors

Dentons is looking to increase its depth and reach in key business sectors and practice groups, including banking and finance, corporate, dispute resolution, real estate and tax, as well  infrastructure rebuilding. 'Our expansion in Kenya will build on our East Africa presence in Uganda, while our combinations in Mauritius will help us pursue our overall Africa growth strategy,' said Noor Kapdi, CEO of Dentons' Africa region and managing partner of Dentons South Africa.