The combination will add Link Legal's roster of more than 160 lawyers across its Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad outlets to Dentons' platform of more than 20,000 professionals in more than 80 countries. The Indian firm will also change its name to Dentons Link Legal.
India's legal market has historically been quite isolated due to a 1961 law that prohibits non-Indian law firms from practising in the country. Previously, Dentons served Indian clients from its locations in countries such as Poland and Singapore but did not maintain a physical presence in the country.
Following the combination deal, Dentons Link Legal will continue to serve its clients within India while Dentons serves its international client, maintaining consistency with Indian law.
Link Legal managing partner Atul Sharma lauded the combination, but emphasised that ownership of the firm was not changing. "The combination allows us to be both global and local while continuing to be wholly owned, controlled and managed by Indian lawyers at Link Legal in India," he said in a statement.
