Simmons wins plum role on O2 takeover

Simmons & Simmons has scooped the largest M&A deal in the UK so far this year, advising Telefonica on its £17.7bn takeover of O2.

Simmons Madrid head Luis Felipe Castresana and corporate partners Stuart Evans, Mark Curtis, Edward Baker and Alistair Bird are advising the Spanish telecoms giant on the acquisition of the BT spin out. The Simmons team also includes partners Mark Norris and Philip Abbott on acquisition finance, Jenny Block on competition and Tom Wheadon on telecoms.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer corporate partner Will Lawes is leading the team advising O2.

A Clifford Chance team led by finance partner Alan Inglis has scooped the acquisition finance mandate, advising the Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and RBS. Partners Joachim Fleury, Oliver Bretz and Keith Hyman are also advising.