Addleshaw Goddard has secured a role alongside Allen & Overy (A&O) as media companies British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) and Tiscali move towards a tie-up.

Addleshaws has been brought in to advise regular client Tiscali, which confirmed last week it is in exclusive talks with BSkyB to offload
its UK assets in a deal that could be worth £450m.

The national law firm is fielding a team under London-based relationship partner James Dawson to advise the struggling Italian group.

Meanwhile, A&O has been instructed by longstanding client BSkyB to head up negotiations with London-based, corporate partner Richard Hough thought to be leading its team.

If the deal goes through, it would see the combined company becoming the UK's largest provider of residential broadband.

Addleshaws initially won Tiscali as a client in 2007, after winning a tender to advise on its £210m acquisition of Pipex Communications' broadband and phone businesses.

Dawson also took the lead on that deal, with SJ Berwin instructed to advise Pipex.

The deal would give Tiscali a boost against Virgin Media, one of its main rivals in the UK broadband market.

Ashurst previously advised Virgin on its successful claim against BSkyB for flouting competition laws by claiming a 17.9% stake in ITV in 2006.

A&O was instructed by BSkyB with competition consultant John Wotton and partner Antonio Bavasso advising.

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