Sutherland and Freshfields land BNFL roles on £2.8bn Toshiba deal

US firm Sutherland Asbill & Brennan and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have scooped instruction from British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) on the pending US$5bn (£2.8bn) sale of its US subsidiary Westinghouse to Japanese congolmerate Toshiba.

BNFL’s in-house legal director Alvin Shuttleworth and UK general counsel Sue Quaint have led the deal along with Atlanta-based firm Sutherland Asbill on US matters and Freshfields on European competition and regulatory issues.

Skadden Arps has taken the lead advisory role for Toshiba.

Herbert Smith and Davis Polk & Wardwell are advising the Department of Trade and Industry on the transaction.

BNFL management is expected to agree to the sale tomorrow. Toshiba is understood to have beaten bids from US group General Electric and Japanese rival Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.