Dentons, the world's largest law firm, today announced its intention to form a strategic alliance with Vella Pugliese Buosi Guidoni (VPBG), one of the most respected law firms in Brazil.

The proposed strategic alliance would uniquely position Dentons and VPBG to provide high-quality legal services to clients within Brazil and around the world.

If approved by partners of both firms, this alliance would give VPBG's clients access to the experience and talents of thousands of lawyers working from more than 60 countries on six continents. Similarly, Dentons' existing global clients would have direct access to VPBG's 13 partners and 116 fee earners based in offices in São Paulo and Brasília.

"Clients within Brazil, and clients wanting to do business in Brazil, will benefit from high-quality legal service on a truly global scale that only Dentons can offer," said Joe Andrew, Global Chairman of Dentons. "From Brussels to Beijing and now Brasília, our clients have access to deep local knowledge that is always provided by lawyers who are both in and of the communities they serve.”

The proposed alliance follows the launch last year of Dentons López Velarde in Mexico and Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas in Colombia, as well as earlier this year the launch of Dentons Muñoz in Central America.

The strategic alliance enhances both firms' depth and reach in key business sectors and practice groups, including: Competition and Antitrust; Corporate/M&A; Dispute Resolution/Litigation; Labor; International Trade and Commodity Finance; Tax; Public and Administrative Law; Real Estate; and Environmental Law.

"We are growing faster in Latin America—and with truly high quality firms—in a way that no one has ever done before," said Elliott Portnoy, Global CEO of Dentons. "The speed and quality of our growth in this region are unprecedented."

"The proposed alliance with Dentons, with its polycentric approach, will allow us to maintain and nurture our autonomy and the best attributes of our firm, which have enabled us to grow rapidly since our formation in 2009," said Rodrigo Vella, a founding partner of VPBG.

Following the approval by partners of both firms, who are expected to vote on it in the next few weeks, the proposed strategic alliance will launch later in 2017.

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About Dentons

Dentons is the world's largest law firm, delivering quality and value to clients around the globe. Dentons is a leader on the Acritas Global Elite Brand Index, a BTI Client Service 30 Award winner and recognized by prominent business and legal publications for its innovations in client service, including founding Nextlaw Labs and the Nextlaw Global Referral Network. Dentons' polycentric approach and world-class talent challenge the status quo to advance client interests in the communities in which we live and work. www.dentons.com

About Vella Pugliesi Buosi Guidoni

Vella Pugliesi Buosi e Guidoni - Advogados is a full service law firm, focusing on a results-oriented business law practice. The firm serves leading companies and organizations based in Brazil and international clients doing business in Brazil. Recognized for its market leading practices in competition and antitrust, corporate, mergers and acquisitions, international trade, tax, labor, litigation and arbitration, public law and infrastructure, real estate and environmental law, the firm's mission is to develop and implement efficient legal solutions, contributing to better decisions and outcomes for our clients. www.vpbg.com.br