Dentons通过其首席沟通官（chief communications officer）向ALB确认，Dentons“正在改变其与北京大成律师事务所的关系——大成作为中国法律合作方，自2015年以来一直是Dentons Group的成员”。
Dentons解释道，此举是为了“回应近期中国政府针对中国律师事务所的要求，包括与网络安全、数据保护相关的要求”。
“从此以往，大成将作为一家分别、独立的律师事务所展开运营，同时也将作为Dentons客户中国法律需求的优先选择律所。”Dentons说。
Dentons强调，大成会“成为我们下一代法律全球转介网（Nextlaw Referral Network）的一员”。“下一代法律全球转介网”是Dentons Group于2016年推出的使用自营技术的转介平台，不收取会员费、也没有一地一所的限制，帮助成员所将客户转介给全球各地最合适的律所。
虽然两家律所间的法律关系发生了变化，“我们会继续共同工作，满足中国及80余个国家客户的需求”。
目前尚不清楚大成是否也将继续把Dentons作为海外业务的优先选择律所。过去几年，全球品牌对于大成的发展多有助益，因为越来越多中国客户面对着复杂、跨司法管辖区的法律服务需求，中国客户更偏好于选择拥有可靠全球服务网络的中国律所。
一位不愿具名的大成合伙人告诉ALB，“只是从过去的联盟变更成了合作，业务合作等事宜跟以前一样，基本没什么影响”。
具体到是政府怎样的要求使双方做出这一决定，这位合伙人表示，“政府没有具体下文……联盟关系可能因数据安全考虑不允许”。
Dentons和大成于2015年初合并，合并采取瑞士联盟结构，合并后的实体称为Dentons Group，其目前在全球拥有2.1万名员工，是世界上规模最大的律所。
除香港办公室外，大成目前在中国内地有47家办公室。未来，他们将无法再与Dentons在美国的43家办公室，以及在欧洲、中东、拉丁美洲等地的111家办公室共享同个品牌。
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8月10日更新：关于两家律所未来的品牌使用问题，Dentons在一份声明中回复ALB：“未来几周，我们将转而使用带有律所名称（“Dentons”）的紫色指路标logo，并从其上去除中文字样。重要的是，我们和大成签署了许可协议，未来大成在中国内地提及我们之间的优先选择律所关系时，仍旧可以使用‘大成 Dentons’logo。”
Dacheng, Dentons ends eight-year merger under regulatory pressure
Dentons has confirmed via its chief communications officer to ALB that the firm “is modifying its relationship with Beijing Dacheng Law Offices (大成), the Chinese legal partnership that has been a member of the Dentons Group since 2015.”
Dentons explains this move was made “in response to recent Chinese government mandates on Chinese law firms, including those relating to cybersecurity and data protection.”
“Moving forward, 大成 will operate as a separate, standalone law firm that will serve as Dentons’ preferred law firm for clients with legal needs in China,” says Dentons.
Dentons addresses that 大成 will also “be a member of our Nextlaw Referral Network.” While the legal relationship between the two firms is changing, “we will continue working together to meet our clients’ needs across China and the 80+ countries where Dentons does business.”
It is still unclear whether 大成 will continue to refer its global business to Dentons vice versa as a preferred firm in the future. The global brand was important to 大成’s achievements in recent years as more and more Chinese companies are seeking complicated, cross-jurisdictional services. Chinese clients usually prefer Chinese law firm that has trusted global networks.
大成 hasn’t responded to ALB’s request for comment.
Dentons and 大成 merged in 2015, structured as a Swiss Verein called Dentons Group, to create the largest law firm in the world with 21,000 professionals currently.
Excluding Hong Kong, 大成 has 47 offices in mainland China. The break-up means the firm will end close ties with Dentons’ 43 offices in the U.S., and 111 offices in Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and other regions.
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August 10 update: Concerning the future branding of the two firms, Dentons informs ALB in a statement that "in the coming weeks, we will migrate to the purple guidepost logo with the name of the Firm (“Dentons”) without the Chinese characters. Importantly, we have entered into a license agreement with 大成 through which it will be able to refer to our preferred firm relationship through the “大成 Dentons” logo exclusively within Mainland China."
