Law firms Dealwatch: Magic Circle lead on £5.2bn Aviva takeover of Friends Life Sarah Downey · 2 December 2014 · 2 min read Corporate and M&A A&O Shearman Clifford Chance Linklaters In one of the biggest deals the UK insurance sector has seen in years, Aviva‘s acquisition of Friends Life for £5.2bn has also gifted Magic Circle trio Linklaters, Allen & Overy and Clifford Chance with leading advisory roles.Your limit of 1 article in 30 days is up. Please login for full access or subscribe. Corporate users - click here for simple access (no password needed). For more information, please contact jasmine.glass@legalbusiness.co.uk Related ContentMore in this categoryLinklaters closes Hamburg office amid plans to refocus German operationsLaw firmsKate Peacock16 Apr 2026A&O Shearman promotes 33 new partners, nine in LondonLaw firmsWill Lewallen15 Apr 2026Five law firms win appointments on FCA’s ‘skilled person’ investigations panelLaw firmsTheresa Hargreaves13 Apr 2026How CMS M&A partner David Roberts became the restaurant expert on both sides of the tableLaw firmsKate Peacock20 Apr 2026‘We’ve got the building blocks in place to grow’ – Harbottle closes in on £60mLaw firmsTom Cox17 Apr 2026Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader partners approve largest ever law firm mergerLaw firmsKate Peacock15 Apr 2026Revolving doors: Simpson Thacher, Latham, Sidley lead New Year London movesLaw firmsAnna Huntley9 Jan 2025‘Seize every opportunity’ – Paul Hastings partner Reena Gogna on City law, Suits and poetryLaw firmsAnna Huntley7 Jan 2025Five partners vie to succeed Hoyland as Simmons managing partnerLaw firmsTom Cox7 Jan 2025