Travers Smith leads in scramble for telecoms

Travers Smith Braithwaite is advising US company NTL on its u8bn bid forCable & Wireless

subsidiary Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC),represented by Linklaters.Telewest,

represented by Freshfields, was considered the frontrunner tobuy CWC after bidding u8bn

in April.But NTL made its own u8bn bid in June, and last week Cable &

Wireless,represented by Allen & Overy, agreed not to talk to any other bidder for

areported 21 months.US firm Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom is NTL's adviser on the

deal'sUS aspects.Spencer Summerfield, corporate partner at Travers Smith Braithwaite,

headsa 20-strong team. He says: "It was a very speedy transaction and it is acomplicated

structure."His team includes head of corporate Christopher Ball, tax partner

NickAleksander, commercial partner Tom Purton and competition partner

MargaretMoore.Corporate partner Carlton Evans heads the Linklaters team, with

corporatepartner James Croock, tax partners Guy Brannan and Nik Mehta, and

telecomspartner Robin Durie.Allen & Overy's 20-strong team is led by corporate partners

RichardCranfield and Richard Rowland. Corporate partner Helen Harrison-Hall alsoacted

on the deal with tax partner David Lewis and finance partners SimonHill and George

Link.Head of corporate Barry O'Brien leads the Freshfields team advising Telewest.