Salans
Defunct international commercial law firm founded in Paris in 1978 and merged into Dentons in 2013.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Salans was an international commercial law firm founded in Paris in 1978 as Salans Hertzfeld & Heilbronn by American lawyers Carl Salans and Jeffrey Herzfeld together with French lawyer Eliane Heilbronn. It developed from a Paris-based practice into a multinational firm advising corporations, financial institutions, investment funds, insurers, public bodies, international organisations and sovereign states. The firm’s growth strategy combined organic expansion with acquisitions and combinations involving established local practices. It entered Russia in 1991, becoming one of the first Western law firms to establish a presence there. During the late 1990s it expanded into the United Kingdom and the United States through combinations with London-based Harris Rosenblatt & Kramerhas and New York-based Christy & Viener. It also acquired the Paris technology boutique FG Associés in 1998. These transactions broadened both its geographic coverage and its ability to advise clients on cross-border commercial matters. Salans subsequently built a substantial presence in Central and Eastern Europe. In 2003 it acquired the Prague, Bucharest, Bratislava, Istanbul and Shanghai offices formerly operated by Altheimer & Gray after that US firm collapsed. It entered Germany in 2006 through the acquisition of the Berlin office of Haarmann Hemmelrath, and expanded in Spain in 2007 by acquiring Masons Buxeda Menchén, with offices in Madrid and Barcelona. From 2009 to 2011 it maintained a non-exclusive strategic relationship with the UK firm Pinsent Masons. Its practices covered arbitration, banking and finance, capital markets, competition and regulatory work, corporate transactions, employment, intellectual property, technology and communications, litigation, notarial services, real estate, public law, restructuring and insolvency, tax, and trade, customs and World Trade Organization matters. The firm operated in a decentralised model and did not maintain a single global headquarters. At the time of its final merger, it had approximately 750 lawyers and more than 1,500 staff across 20 offices in 17 countries. Salans ceased to exist as an independent firm after its partners approved a three-way combination with SNR Denton and Canada’s Fraser Milner Casgrain. Announced in November 2012 and completed on 28 March 2013, the transaction created Dentons, a global law firm organised as a Swiss verein. Salans therefore represents a predecessor organisation within the Dentons network rather than an active standalone legal-services brand.
History
Salans originated in Paris in 1978 under the name Salans Hertzfeld & Heilbronn. Its founding team combined the experience of American lawyers Carl Salans and Jeffrey Herzfeld with that of French lawyer Eliane Heilbronn. The firm was established to serve commercial clients requiring advice across legal systems and eventually became associated with international corporate, financial and regulatory work. A major early turning point came in 1991, when Salans entered Russia. This made it one of the first Western law firms to establish a practice in the country and gave it an important platform for work involving the emerging Russian market. In October 1997, the firm acquired London practice Harris Rosenblatt & Kramerhas. The transaction enabled it to practise UK law and was described as the first occasion on which a Continental European law firm expanded into UK-law practice through such a combination. In September 1998, Salans Hertzfeld & Heilbronn agreed to merge with New York firm Christy & Viener; the combination took effect on 1 January 1999. During the same period, it acquired Paris information-technology boutique FG Associés, strengthening its technology-related capabilities. The firm continued to expand through a mixture of offices, acquisitions and local combinations rather than relying solely on a single central headquarters. In September 2003, Salans acquired the Prague, Bucharest, Bratislava, Istanbul and Shanghai offices of Altheimer & Gray after that American firm collapsed. The transaction materially increased Salans’ footprint in Central and Eastern Europe, Turkey and China. In January 2006, it established its first German office by acquiring the Berlin office of Haarmann Hemmelrath, another law firm that had collapsed. In April 2007, it acquired Spanish firm Masons Buxeda Menchén, adding offices in Madrid and Barcelona. From June 2009 through December 2011, Salans maintained a non-exclusive strategic partnership with the British firm Pinsent Masons. The relationship provided a framework for cooperation while preserving the firms as separate organisations. By the end of its independent existence, Salans advised multinational companies, commercial and regional banks, insurers, investment funds, public entities, international organisations and sovereign states. Its principal practices included arbitration, banking and finance, capital markets, competition, trade and regulatory law, corporate matters, employment, intellectual property, technology and communications, litigation, notarial services, real estate, public law, restructuring and insolvency, tax, and customs and WTO work. Salans operated on a decentralised basis and did not have a single headquarters. At the time of its final combination, the firm had approximately 750 lawyers and more than 1,500 staff in 20 offices across 17 countries. On 8 November 2012, Salans, SNR Denton and Fraser Milner Casgrain announced that they would merge to form Dentons. The partners approved the transaction later that month, and the merger became effective on 28 March 2013. The new firm was organised as a Swiss verein, and Salans ceased operating as a separate legal-firm brand.
- 2013
Salans becomes part of Dentons
[1]The three-way merger completed on 28 March, ending Salans as an independent firm.
- 2012
Dentons combination announced
[1]Salans announced a three-way merger with SNR Denton and Fraser Milner Casgrain.
- 2007
Spanish expansion
[1]The acquisition of Masons Buxeda Menchén added Madrid and Barcelona offices.
- 2006
German market entry
[1]The firm entered Germany by acquiring Haarmann Hemmelrath’s Berlin office.
- 2003
Central and Eastern European expansion
[1]Salans acquired Altheimer & Gray offices in Prague, Bucharest, Bratislava, Istanbul and Shanghai.
- 1999
New York merger completed
[1]The merger with Christy & Viener took effect, extending Salans’ US capabilities.
- 1997
London acquisition
[1]The firm acquired Harris Rosenblatt & Kramerhas in London and became the first Continental law firm to practise UK law.
- 1991
Entry into Russia
[1]Salans opened a Russian practice, becoming one of the first Western law firms to enter the country.
- 1978
Firm founded in Paris
[1]Carl Salans, Jeffrey Herzfeld and Eliane Heilbronn founded Salans Hertzfeld & Heilbronn in Paris.
Products and positioning
A decentralised international commercial law firm focused on cross-border transactions, disputes and regulatory matters for multinational companies, financial institutions, funds, public entities and sovereign clients.
Legal services
Corporate and commercial law
Salans advised companies and institutions on corporate matters, commercial arrangements and cross-border transactions. Its international structure supported clients operating across multiple jurisdictions and legal systems.
Financial legal services
Banking, finance and capital markets
The firm represented commercial and regional banks, funds, companies and other financial-market participants on banking, finance and capital-markets matters.
Litigation and arbitration
Dispute resolution
Salans maintained practices in litigation and international arbitration, advising commercial clients on disputes with cross-border, contractual and regulatory dimensions.
Regulatory legal services
Regulatory, trade and public law
Its regulatory offering included competition, public law, trade, customs and World Trade Organization-related advice for businesses and public-sector clients.
Legal services
Real estate, tax and restructuring
The firm also handled real-estate transactions, tax matters, reorganisations, restructuring and insolvency, alongside employment and notarial services.
Brand decisions
2012
Decision to merge with SNR Denton and Fraser Milner CasgrainM&ABackground
Salans sought to combine with two other international firms and create a larger global platform capable of serving clients across a broader network.
Action taken
The firms announced the proposed three-way merger on 8 November 2012, and their partners ratified the transaction on 28 November.
Aftermath
The merger completed on 28 March 2013 and created Dentons, structured as a Swiss verein. Salans ceased to operate as an independent firm.
2009
Strategic partnership with Pinsent MasonsStrategyBackground
Salans pursued cooperation with a major British law firm while retaining its own separate organisational identity.
Action taken
It entered a non-exclusive strategic partnership with Pinsent Masons that continued from June 2009 through December 2011.
Aftermath
The partnership ended before Salans’ later three-way merger that created Dentons.
Sources1 sources
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