Dentons and Dacheng, the largest firm in Asia, are poised to seal a groundbreaking tie-up, Dentons said Wednesday.

The combination, if blessed by Chinese regulators, will create the largest global firm by attorney head count. It will also mark the first time a major Chinese firm—in this case, one with about 4,000 lawyers and a clientele that includes many of the country’s most important private and state-controlled enterprises—extends its advisory reach globally in a big way.