In a year of unprecedented challenges for our clients in the 193 communities we serve across the globe, Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, was recognized at the Financial Times (FT) Innovative Lawyers Awards North America for continuing to innovate in the midst of crisis:

• Top Law Firm Leader – Joe Andrew - One of 5 top law firm leaders profiled
• Most Innovative Law Firm in North America award – shortlisted
• The Practice of Law – Multidisciplinary Teams award – shortlisted

Dentons Global Chairman, Joe Andrew, was one of five top law firm leaders to be profiled in the ‘Individual Leaders: Individual law firm leaders’ category, selected for “showing true leadership during a crisis”, according to the FT. Joe continues to lead more than 19,000 Dentons colleagues in 77 countries around the world and guide clients in a period of unprecedented challenge and change. In a period of significant transformation in the ways we work, learn, and live, he recognized that our world might never again be ‘normal’ as normalcy implies a steady state where tomorrow looks much like today.

“A “New Dynamic” better captured what a future of accelerating change may hold. Rather than retreat at this time of upheaval – a time during which many law firms are closing offices – together with the important leadership partnership with my friend Elliott Portnoy, Dentons Global CEO, we remain confident in the Firm’s ability to harness this new dynamic decade by helping clients address what they need to do today to meet the challenges they may face tomorrow,” said Joe Andrew.

Dentons has demonstrated that it has the confidence to assist its clients, having announced 28 new offices in 2020 alone, in key strategic locations for Dentons clients around the world, in the midst of a global pandemic and in an environment where other law firms are standing still, contracting or withdrawing from key markets. This includes the growth of Project Golden Spike, a series of combinations dedicated to advancing the first truly national US law firm.

The New Dynamic is a global strategy for the Firm, serving as a platform - digital, data driven and quality process oriented - to provide clients with resources in navigating these uncharted waters. In addition to providing immediate advice to support clients’ scenario planning efforts and bolster their supply chain resilience, the Firm has developed resources for organizations undergoing digital transformation and leadership changes. The firm’s New Dynamic offering leverages 60+ experts from across the globe, ranging from former general counsels to technologists who have helped adapt Dentons’ services to support clients with whatever they need, wherever they may be.

Additionally, at the height of the healthcare emergency brought on by the pandemic, Dentons developed a HealthTech offering in Canada to serve this emerging market, advising innovators at the intersection of healthcare and technology on how to grow, protect, operate and finance their businesses. This extended HealthTech team enables companies to pivot quickly in the New Dynamic to adapt and provide solutions to the emergent need for personal protective equipment (PPE) and use of Health Canada’s COVID-19 fast track for expedited approval of medical supplies. With the advance of telemedicine, the team assists clients in dealing with issues of privacy, data security and compliance with regulations at the federal and provincial levels.

Access the full FT summary here:

Report: https://www.ft.com/reports/north-america-innovative-lawyers 

About Dentons Global Chairman, Joe Andrew

Joe Andrew is the former National Chairman of the US Democratic Party, the author of two books and has been a successful corporate lawyer for decades.  He is the founding Global Chair of Dentons and SNR Denton before it, leading with Dentons Global CEO, Elliott Portnoy, for the past decade. Alongside his esteemed legal career, he has also founded multiple companies and is a champion of corporate social responsibility, sustainable growth and social justice.