Two of the Netherlands' leading independents are the latest firms to win roles on the £80bn merger talks between Barclays and ABN Amro.

Herbert Smith's Benelux ally Stibbe is advising ABN's supervisory board while long-term adviser NautaDutilh is leading for ABN alongside Allen & Overy (A&O). Nauta corporate partner Hein Hooghoudt is leading the team for ABN.

The bank has also instructed A&O with Amsterdam corporate partners Jan Louis Burggraaf, Johan Kleyn, Tim Stevens and Paul Glazener, as well as London-based corporate partner Alan Paul all taking roles on the team.

Stibbe is fielding an Amsterdam-based team headed by corporate partners Paul van den Hoek, Allard Metzelaar and Charles Honee.

Davis Polk & Wardwell is advising the Dutch bank on US law, with corporate partners Margaret Tahyar (Paris) and Thomas Reid (London) understood to be leading the team.

As reported last week, Barclays has called in Clifford Chance (CC) and Sullivan & Cromwell on the deal with London-based corporate partner Guy Norman leading an Anglo-Dutch team for CC. Sullivan's team includes London corporate partner George White.

The two banks are thought to be pushing the merger through as quickly as possible to prevent rival bids. Barclays is thought likely to try and claw back some of its costs by disposing of parts of ABN's business such as its US retail bank LaSalle.