Weil Gotshal & Manges and Jones Day have taken roles for Reynolds American on its $49.4bn (£40bn) takeover by British American Tobacco (BAT).

The US firms are working opposite Cravath Swaine & Moore and Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF), which have been advising BAT on the deal since last autumn, when the London-listed tobacco giant first outlined plans for the deal.

BAT has now reached an agreement to purchase a 57.8% stake in Reynolds American, the companies confirmed today.

Weil is acting for the Reynolds American transaction committee alongside southeastern US law firm Moore & Van Allen, while Jones Day is advising Reynolds American.

Weil's team, which is being led by New York corporate partner Michael Aiello, is being represented in London by managing partner Mike Francies and senior consultant Ian Hamilton.

Other New York partners include corporate partner Matthew Gilroy, securities litigation partner Greg Danilow, banking partner Morgan Bale and capital markets partner Frank Adams. The team also includes partners from the firm's Washington office including public company advisory partner Ade Heyliger and competition partner Steven Newborn.

Jones Day's team is being led by New York M&A partner Randi Lesnick and includes, in London, corporate partners Vica Irani and Leon Ferera.

The HSF team is being led out of London by the firm's chair and senior partner James Palmer, financial institutions head Alex Kay, tax head Isaac ‎Zailer and corporate partner Gillian Fairfield.

BAT is also receiving legal counsel from its in-house team, led by head of M&A Craig Harris and attorney Bob Casey, while the Cravath team is led by US corporate partners Philip Gelston, David Perkins, Ting Chen and John White and London corporate partner Alyssa Caples.

Davis Polk is providing UK and US legal advice to the financial sponsors and joint sponsors to BAT, with a team led by City corporate partner Will Pearce and New York corporate partner Philip Mills.