Allen & Overy (A&O) and Slaughter and May have landed lead roles on the $4.8bn (£2.4bn) sale of Smiths Group's aerospace business to General Electric (GE) and the setting up of a joint venture between the companies.

Corporate partner David Wootton led the A&O team advising Smiths Group on the sale, which is due for completion during the second quarter of 2007.

Wootton was assisted on the aerospace sale by a cross-departmental team including corporate partner Mark Dighero, antitrust partner Alistair Lindsay, environment partner Owen Lomas, tax partner Brenda Coleman, pensions partner Derek Sloan, employment partner Mark Mansell and banking partner Peter Schulz.