Dentons, the world's largest law firm, has announced a restructuring of its regional operations in China. The firm will make its partner Beijing Dacheng Law Offices fully independent, designating it as a "preferred partner." 

Dentons and Dacheng got together back in 2015, creating the world's largest law firm with over 6,000 attorneys. The union has since ballooned to roughly 12,000 lawyers. However, this is set to end as Dacheng will leave the Dentons umbrella. A draft letter to the erstwhile conglomerate's clients pins the blame for the conscious uncoupling on the Chinese government, citing new mandates and requirements relating to data privacy, cybersecurity, capital control, and governance.

China recently barred the transfer of personal data outside China without undergoing a security assessment. This assessment process is onerous, requiring a self-assessment report, the cross-border data transfer agreement, an application form, and any other requested documents. It takes about 60 days to complete but can be extended depending on the complexity of each application. Once approved, the security assessment is valid for two years, except when certain changes require a new assessment.

Six months into the new regulations, only two companies have managed to pass the assessment process. This poses a significant challenge for a global law firm structure like Dentons, especially when Western clients might fear any process that gives a Chinese government entity access to its law firm's systems.

Dentons' restructuring is a clear indication of how global entities must adapt to the rapidly changing legal landscape, particularly in regions with significant economic influence like China. The firm's ability to navigate these changes will be a case study for other international firms facing similar challenges in an increasingly complex global regulatory environment. While China's data privacy laws date back a couple of years, new guidance has steeped them in vague national security rhetoric, making compliance more challenging.