Dentons’ merger with Chinese legal giant Dacheng has received a mixed reaction from the UK legal market, with some predicting it will lead to a spate of copycat tie-ups while others have doubts about the likely success of the union. 

The deal, which has yet to receive regulatory approval in China, will create the largest law firm in the world with around 6,500 lawyers, of which around 4,000 will come from the Chinese firm.