Global law firm Dentons has made its latest push into Southeast Asia with plans to combine with Thai counterpart Pisut & Partners under the name “Dentons Pisut”, and a launch is expected in the coming months subject to partner approval and the integration of workstreams, senior partners from both firms told Asia Business Law Journal.
Wayu Suthisarnsuntorn, a senior partner at Pisut & Partners in Bangkok, told Asia Business Law Journal that his firm had already been working with multiple offices of Dentons around the world on various cross-border transactions, and global and regional M&A deals during the past several years.
“We also have been representing Dentons’ global clients in Thailand disputes. So, the combination will further strengthen the relationships and increase collaboration,” said Suthisarnsuntorn.
Pisut Rakwong, managing partner of Pisut & Partners said, “Our clients will gain expanded access to global expertise and cross-border capabilities,”
Thailand is an Asean jurisdiction where Dentons currently has no office, and the combination will expand the global law firm’s coverage of the region from six to seven jurisdictions consisting of Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.
Following the combination, Pisut & Partners would become a full member of Dentons with all the rights and responsibilities of other members, and contribute to and participate in all Dentons programmes and activities, Gerald Singham, the global vice-chair and Asean CEO at Dentons in Singapore told Asia Business Law Journal.
Singham pointed to the 24-lawyer-strong Pisut & Partners’ recognised expertise in multiple practice areas including banking and finance, capital markets, competition and antitrust as well as dispute resolution and restructuring.
“The practice and sector synergies of Dentons and Pisut & Partners will give the combined firm a competitive advantage in international panel competition and build on Dentons’ strength in these areas,” said Singham, who is also a senior partner in the corporate practice group.
In February last year, Dentons and Philippine firm PJS Law officially launched their combination, following a similar move with Indian law firm Link Legal in 2023 and Vietnamese counterpart LuatViet in 2022.
