Dentons Expands ASEAN into Philippines with PJS Law tie-up

Dentons Expands ASEAN into Philippines with PJS Law tie-up

The US-based law firm Dentons has revealed its plan to merge with its affiliated law firm in the Philippines as part of its strategy to establish itself as a prominent legal entity in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) area.

Dentons has said that the addition of 10-partner PJS Law, expected to take place in the coming months, will expand Dentons' presence in the region to seven locations spanning six countries.

Dentons, one of the world's largest law firms, has announced that the combination with PJS Law, its long-standing ally in the Philippines, will enable it to better serve clients in one of the world's fastest-growing emerging economies and cement the existing cooperation between the two firms.

According to Dentons' global CEO, Elliott Portnoy, PJS Law's strong reputation in the market made them a great partner for Dentons in a crucial market for its clients.

“Founding partners Regina Jacinto-Barrientos and Roy Santos, with their leadership team, have built a firm that is known for outstanding client service. The combination will allow us to provide clients with local knowledge and global insights across Asean,” Elliott Portnoy said.

With a presence in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, Dentons already boasts over 250 lawyers in the ASEAN region. The law firm established its Vietnam footprint in 2021 through a partnership with local ally LuatViet.

PJS Law, based in Manila, has approximately 60 professionals and is recognised by Chambers Asia-Pacific for its banking and finance, corporate/M&A, and projects, energy, and infrastructure services. Under Dentons' polycentric approach, the firm will maintain local control over its operations, finances, and office leadership, according to Dentons.

“Our future combination with Dentons means that we continue to deliver first-rate performance and client care, while our clients also benefit from having access to more than 21,000 professionals around the globe," Jacinto-Barrientos, CEO of PJS Law, said.

Dentons' collaboration with PJS Law comes after the firm's announcement in October last year of a partnership with India's Link Legal, which it claimed was the first instance of an international law firm combining with an Indian law firm.