Kirkland & Ellis has bagged a key role advising Bain Capital on its $3.5bn (£1.7bn) acquisition of African retailer Edgars Consolidated Stores – the largest leveraged buy-out seen on the continent to date.

Kirkland acted for regular client Bain, fielding a City-based team including corporate partners James Learner and Christopher Field, finance partners Stephen Gillespie and Neel Sachdev and tax partner Ian Taplin.

The transaction will be funded with a financing package of long-term debt and equity, with Barclays and Absa Capita providing debt on the deal.

Edgars – which operates more than 900 retail outlets and is the largest retailer in South Africa – was advised by Johannesburg firm Webber Wentzel Bowens.

Meanwhile, Kirkland has also advised TowerBrook Capital Partners on its £185m acquisition of luxury goods manufacturer and retailer Jimmy Choo from Lion Capital. Corporate partner Erik Dahl led the team for Kirkland advising TowerBrook. SJ Berwin acted for Lion Capital.