Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, will build on its market-leading presence in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) with the addition of a new office in Tbilisi, Georgia. A high caliber team of 11 lawyers, led by partners Otar Kipshidze and Avto Svanidze, will join Dentons from DLA Piper on May 1, 2017.

“Our market-leading position in CEE-CIS is one of the jewels in Dentons’ crown. Our strategy for this region is simple: to be a top firm in all the markets where we are present,” said Tomasz Dąbrowski, Chief Executive Officer of Dentons Europe. “Our new team in Georgia will build on our strong practices in Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan to further strengthen Dentons’ market leadership in CIS and Central Asia.”

“Georgia is a real economic success story. Over the last decade it has implemented market reforms to attract more foreign investors. It is now ranked 16th in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report 2017, up from 112th in 2005,” said Joe Andrew, Global Chairman of Dentons. “At the same time, as the link between Western Europe and Central Asia, it holds a strategic geographic location that is important to many of our clients.“

The team in Tbilisi brings practice and sector capabilities in Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Corporate, Banking and Finance, Intellectual Property, Energy, Government, and Infrastructure and PPP.

Elliott Portnoy, Chief Executive Officer of Dentons, said, “We are committed to bringing our clients top legal talent around the world, and our new team in Georgia is no exception. The team is very highly regarded by clients and peers, and international legal directories such as Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500 have listed them in the top tier across all practices ranked in the Georgian market.”

Dentons has a pioneering history in the region. Through its legacy firms, it was among the first international law firms to enter Russia in 1991 and has been present in CEE since the early nineties.

With the addition of the Tbilisi office, Dentons will have more than 7800 people in 150 offices across more than 60 countries around the world.

About Dentons

Across over 80 countries, Dentons helps you grow, protect, operate and finance your organization by providing uniquely global and deeply local legal solutions. Polycentric, purpose-driven and committed to inclusion, diversity, equity and sustainability, we focus on what matters most to you. www.dentons.com