DENTONS US AND MCKENNA LONG TO COMBINE

Dentons, Kyiv, Ukraine, 
Fri, April 10, 2015

On the Heels of Dentons' Historic Combination in China, US Merger BringsClients of Both Firms Advantages in North America and Around the Globe

April 8, 2015 – A mergerof Dentons US LLP (“Dentons US”) and McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP (“McKennaLong”) has been approved by the partners of both firms. The news builds on themomentum of the previously announced combination between Dentons and 大成, creating the world'slargest law firm. Clients inside the US will gain unrivaled access to marketsaround the world, and international clients will enjoy increased strength andreach across the US. 

Committed to deliveringthe highest quality legal counsel at home and abroad, Dentons will serveclients from more than 125 locations across 50-plus countries. It will boastapproximately 6,600 lawyers and professionals worldwide, with more than 1,100of them based in the United States. The team will span 21 US locations,including Albany, NY; Atlanta; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Houston; KansasCity, MO; Los Angeles; Miami; New Orleans; New York; Orange County, CA;Phoenix; San Diego; San Francisco; Short Hills, NJ; Silicon Valley, CA; St. Louis;Tysons Corner, VA; and Washington, DC.

The merger will:

Significantly enhance client service across practices and sectors. Virtually every sector and practice groupwill gain added depth, breadth and geographic reach, creating, among otherdisciplines:

·        A substantially enhanced Corporate practice

·        A national Litigation powerhouse, offering afull range of services in the largest US litigation markets

·        The world's dominant Real Estate practice, with sizeablepresence in key industry centers in the US including Atlanta, California,Chicago and New York

·        A major competitive advantage in Insurance

·        A premier Public Policy and Regulation practice in the US, both in Washington, DC, and around the US, also witha new US-Canada focus

·        A preeminent US Government Contracts practice

·        An IntellectualProperty practice withsubstantial presence in leading markets such as Silicon Valley, Washington, DC,New York and San Diego

Enhance Dentons' offerings in key US markets. Following the merger,Dentons will have a substantially increased presence in New York, Atlanta, LosAngeles, San Francisco and Washington, DC, and new capabilities in Denver, San Diego, Orange County, CA, and Albany,NY, providing the firm a significantly enhanced position in the Southeastern USand the Western US, including California, the third-largest US market.

Create global synergies. Building on Dentons' global platform and the upcoming combination ofDentons and 大成, this merger will enable Dentons US to offereven more services in more places to more clients. Dentons currently offers thefifth-largest presence in Canada; combining that with McKenna Long’sUS-Canadian practice will make the new Dentons the premier firm for US-Canadawork. McKenna Long’s Seoul office will advance the firm's inroads into thefast-growing Asia Pacific market. International clients seeking access to USmarkets will take advantage of the merged firm’s expanded American footprint.Clients in the US and around the globe will also benefit from the united teamof influential and experienced government affairs professionals between DentonsUS and McKenna Long. This team includes former national party officials,ambassadors, former members of the US Congress and top aides to US presidents,governors and senators.

Leverage Dentons’ polycentric approach on behalf of clients. Both Dentons and McKenna Long embrace thediversity of our people, geography, cultures, legal traditions and clients.Dentons will have no dominant national culture or single headquarters. Thispolycentric approach benefits clients competing in globalized markets andsectors. It offers legal talent from diverse backgrounds and countries and withdeep experience in every type of law, including civil law, common law, Shari'ahlaw and Chinese law.

Dentons US will be led byCo-Chief Executive Officers Jeff Haidet, the Chairman of McKenna Long, andPeter Wolfson, the CEO of Dentons US. Mike McNamara, who currently serves asManaging Partner of Dentons US, will be the Managing Partner of the mergedDentons US. Leadership in the firm's other regions will remain unchanged.Globally, Dentons will continue to be led by Elliott Portnoy as Global ChiefExecutive, Joe Andrew as Global Chairman, and, after the launch of thecombination with 大成, Peng Xuefeng as Chairman of the Global Board.

Andrew said,"Joining with the tremendous talent, expertise and leadership of McKennaLong after combining with 大成, shows that Dentons' inventive, polycentric approach has created notonly the largest law firm in the world, but the leading law firm in theworld."

"This year Dentonshas already advanced many important firsts and milestones that support ourclient-centric mission around the world,” noted Portnoy. “From our combinationin China to achieving Level 1 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment status inSouth Africa, and now a merger with McKenna Long, we are an even stronger firmthan we were at the beginning of the year.”

"Our merger withDentons is the result of a thoughtful, year-long strategic planning processculminating in a positive path for the future of McKenna Long and ourclients," said Haidet. "The advantages to our clients and our peopleare clear, and we are excited to embrace in the US an unmatched globalplatform."

Wolfson noted, "Lastyear Dentons enjoyed the best financial performance of our 109-year history inthe US. Combining with the exceptional lawyers and professionals of McKennaLong continues our strategic priority of bolstering that performance inpractices such as Corporate, Litigation, Intellectual Property, Public Policyand Regulation and many other critical areas of client service."

The overwhelmingpercentage of economic interest of both firms approved the merger and will becombining together. By mutual decision, not all lawyers and professionals willjoin the combined firm. By agreement with those not joining, announcements willbe made when individuals determine where they are going to continue theircareers.

Effective date

The merger of Dentons USand McKenna Long is expected to be effective later in 2015.

About Dentons

Dentons is a global lawfirm driven to provide clients a competitive edge in an increasingly complexand interconnected world. A top 20 firm on the Acritas 2014 Global Elite BrandIndex, Dentons is committed to challenging the status quo in delivering consistentand uncompromising quality in new and inventive ways. With a legacy of legalexperience that dates back to 1742, Dentons was formed by the combination ofinternational law firm Salans LLP, Canadian law firm Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP(FMC) and international law firm SNR Denton. Dentons' clients now benefit fromapproximately 2,600 lawyers and professionals in more than 75 locationsspanning 50-plus countries across Africa, Asia Pacific, Canada, Central Asia,Europe, the Middle East, Russia, CIS and the Caucasus, the UK, and the US. Thefirm serves the local, regional and global needs of a broad spectrum ofclients, including private and public corporations; governments and governmentagencies; small businesses and startups; entrepreneurs; and individuals. Formore information, see www.dentons.com.

About McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP

McKenna Long &Aldridge is an international law firm with attorneys and public policy advisorsin 15 offices and 13 markets. The firm is uniquely positioned at theintersection of law, business and government, representing clients in the areasof complex litigation, corporate law, energy, environment, finance, governmentcontracts, health care, infrastructure, insurance, intellectual property,  public policy, real estate and technology.

McKenna Long was formedby the 2002 merger of two firms - the Washington, DC-based McKenna & Cuneoand the Atlanta-based Long Aldridge & Norman. In 2012, California-basedLuce Forward, Hamilton & Scripps LLP combined with McKenna Long.

For more information, seewww.mckennalong.com.

About 大成

Founded in 1992, 大成 is one of thefirst and is currently the largest law firm in China. 大成 is home to morethan 4,000 licensed attorneys and professionals worldwide. Headquartered inBeijing, 大成 has more than 51 branches and offices, enabling the firm to offerseamlessly integrated legal services to its clients on a global basis.

大成 and its lawyers have earned numerous outstanding honors and awardsthrough years, including being named “Outstanding National Law Firm” by the AllChina Lawyers Association for several consecutive years, holding the top spoton Asian Legal Business' "ALB 50: Asia's Largest Law Firms" and beingnamed number one on The Asia Lawyer's 2015 "The Asia 50" and"The China 20" list. For more information please see www.dachengnet.com. 

Contact:

Ashley Burke, Dentons, ashley.burke@dentons.com, +1 202 408 3255

Ellen Musante, McKenna Long &Aldridge, emusante@mckennalong.com, +1 202 4967228 

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