World’s Largest Law Firm Lands in New Zealand . . Dentons Arrive

The largest law firm in the world by head count – Dentons – has established itself in New Zealand this week with its association with Kensington Swan, now known as Dentons Kensington Swan.

Dentons has over 11,000 lawyers globally and covers the globe more than any other firm.

Kensington Swan is now the second New Zealand law firm with formalised links to a global legal giant, the first being DLA Piper Phillips Fox who aligned with DLA Piper in a deal in 2008.

Although the deal with Kensington Swan does not involve a purchase by Dentons the local firm retains its local partisanship and remains locally owned to all intents and purposes, as the firm said in a release issued today.

Dentons has been firmly following an acquisition trail for the past few years and has expanded strongly in the Asia Pacific region, including from previous combinations in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

With its offices in Auckland and Wellington, Dentons can now connect clients to a team of 113 lawyers in New Zealand the firm has expanded rapidly and offers a full array of client services.

Read: Who ARE Dentons?

Recently on LawFuel

  • Karen Chang
    LawFuel Power List No. 7 Chang moves up three spots because the SFO under her leadership stopped resembling a bureaucratic afterthought and started resembling a threat. Foreign-bribery whistleblower platforms, Ponzi… Read more: Karen Chang
  • Michelle Redington
    LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 9 Redington oversees one of New Zealand’s largest legal teams (70+ lawyers) and the IRD’s digital transformation—one of the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest government IT projects.… Read more: Michelle Redington
  • Troy Pilkington
    LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 10 Pilkington rode the Commerce Act reform wave straight into the Power List. As Russell McVeagh’s competition practice leader, he’s authored extensive commentary on the… Read more: Troy Pilkington
  • Torrin Crowther
    LawFuel Power List No. 12 Crowther fronts Bell Gully’s Commerce Act coverage, emphasizing “legal certainty” and “proportionate enforcement”—corporate-speak for “don’t let the regulator overreach.” As Chair of Bell Gully’s competition… Read more: Torrin Crowther
  • Chris Finlayson KC
    LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 15 The former Attorney-General (2008-2016) remains New Zealand’s pre-eminent Treaty of Waitangi and constitutional lawyer. His 2025 work included leading Hawke’s Bay councils’ negotiations with… Read more: Chris Finlayson KC
Scroll to Top