Link Legal is a full-service law firm with offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and New York. It has more than 19 practice areas, 42 partners and 134 lawyers.

The combination between the two practices is not a joint venture, Dentons noted in a statement, nor is it a best-friends relationship or a liaison licence, nor a merger or and acquisition. Instead, it said, it is a “combination like Dentons has done around the world, building one, integrated global firm”.

The announcement coincides with the 10th anniversary of the announcement of the creation of Dentons and follows more than 50 whole firm combinations since Dentons’ launch in 2013. The global firm currently has 215 offices across 83 countries.

The combination with Link Legal would offer an established, physical presence in the aforementioned five Indian cities, which are amongst the largest in the country.

Dentons Link Legal Indian lawyers will represent clients inside India, and Dentons lawyers will represent Link Legal’s clients outside of India, becoming one firm consistent with the rules and regulations of India.

Dentons global chairman Joe Andrew said that the combination between the two entities “again makes Dentons not only a first-mover but a first-mover in a market that matters to our clients”.

Elliott Portnoy, the global chief executive for Dentons, added: “India will be the most populous country in the world next year with a fast-growing economy, making it an increasingly important market for our clients around the world.

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“This historic combination will allow Dentons to connect clients to leading talent in India and provide a seamless one-firm experience in more than 200 locations around the globe.”

Link Legal managing partner Atul Sharma said: “In the current geopolitical and economic landscape, India enjoys an important and enviable position. We approached Dentons because we recognised that a combination between our firms would help us meet and exceed the needs of our clients, who are increasingly becoming global.

“Importantly, the combination allows us to be both global and local, helping us to connect our clients to leading legal talent around the world while continuing to be wholly owned, controlled and managed by Indian lawyers at Link Legal in India.”

Nusrat Hassan, the co-managing partner of Link Legal, said in support: “The combination with Dentons will provide access to sophisticated new technology as well as leading talent, allowing us to provide seamless, integrated services to clients across more than 200 locations.”

“The combination between Link Legal and Dentons not only allows us to be the trusted advisors to our clients across the many markets in which they operate but will also create global opportunities for our Indian lawyers,” said Link Legal senior partner Anand Srivastava.

Finally, Dentons Africa Region chief executive Noor Kapdi said: “Dentons’ strategy is focused on finding combination firm partners who have the proven ability to offer sophisticated, high-quality legal services and business solutions in their home markets and that can continue Dentons’ momentum in building the leading firm.

“By combining with the talented individuals at Link Legal, this will truly be a combination that takes Dentons from the largest to the leading firm.”

Following approval by the partners, the combination with Link Legal is expected to launch in the coming months.