SJ Berwin's Italian arm has helped secure the firm a trophy corporate role after being instructed by CVC Capital Partners on its £764m acquisition of US luggage manufacturer Samsonite.

The buy-out, announced earlier this month (5 July), saw SJ Berwin take the lead role for the private equity house, which traditionally instructs magic circle duo Clifford Chance and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer on major acquisitions.

The deal, which took less than three weeks to complete, was led by Italian-based corporate partner Alberto Morano, who brought the client with him when he joined SJ Berwin in 2005 to launch its local practice.

Morano acted alongside SJ Berwin's London-based head of corporate, Steven Davis, and finance partners Jeremy Cross and Stuart Brinkworth.

The Samonsite acquisition is the first successful corporate mandate that SJ Berwin's London team has handled for CVC after last year acting on three failed bids.

CVC, which set up a New York branch this year to scout for targets, instructed Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison corporate partners David Lakhdhir and Tarun Stewart to handle US law.

Samsonite instructed Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom corporate partner Scott Simpson. Kirkland & Ellis corporate partner James Learner advised Samsonite shareholders, comprising a group of pension funds and private equity houses including Bain Capital.

Commenting on the bid, SJ Berwin's Davis told Legal Week: "Alberto has a longstanding relationship with CVC. We anticipate working with them both in London and Italy going forward."

Morano added: "It is unusual for an Italian lawyer to work on a US/European transaction. It was an extremely challenging and exciting deal, which was basically executed in three weeks."

The mandate from one of Europe's most active private equity houses will be seen as a feather in SJ Berwin's cap. CVC has been spreading its work among a number of law firms recently, this year also instructing Herbert Smith on a major disposal.