Allen & Overy (A&O) has taken a lead role on the $1.8bn (£1.1bn) sale of General Electric's fire alarm and security unit to US conglomerate United Technologies, reports The Am Law Daily.

Corporate partner Eric Shube led the magic circle firm's team on the deal, alongside employee benefits partner Henry Morgenbesser, regulatory partner Ken Rivlin and intellectual property partner Colleen Keck.

A&O has been a mainstay on GE's list of go-to law firms in the US and Europe even as the company has embarked on several well-publicised initiatives to cut back the number of firms it uses.

In July, A&O was among a dozen or so firms – including DLA Piper, Weil Gotshal & Manges and Clifford Chance – chosen to handle GE's non-M&A matters in Europe.

Elite US firm Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz advised United Technologies on the deal, according to a company spokesman. The firm did not provide a list of the partners on the matter.

The deal continues a series of sales for GE, which is working hard to divest itself of non-core businesses and raise cash. GE sold its homeland security branch to the French company Safran earlier this year, and is reportedly close to selling its stake in NBC Universal to Comcast.

United Technologies is a multimational conglomerate that manufactures big-name items including Sikorsky helicopters and Carrier air conditioners.

This article first appeared on The Am Law Daily blog on americanlawyer.com.