A trio of City firms have picked up advisory roles as drinks company Constellation Brands sold off its UK and Australian businesses to Champ Private Equity for around £183m.

Clifford Chance (CC), Norton Rose and Herbert Smith advised alongside several Australian firms on the deal, which saw Champ take ownership of brands such as Hardys, Kumala and Echo Falls.

CC advised Champ from its London office through a team led by City corporate partner Kathy Honeywood (pictured) and corporate senior associate Roseanne McCormick, with the magic circle firm advising alongside Australian firm Gilbert + Tobin.

Norton Rose acted for Constellation, with London corporate partner Alan Crookes leading a team that included partners Lesley Browning (pensions), Mike Knapper (intellectual property), Michael Grenfell (competition), Raj Mangat (real estate) and Dominic Stuttaford (tax).

Constellation also instructed Australian firm Clayton Utz and used its own in-house legal team led by European general counsel Deepak Malhotra in the UK and global GC Tom Mullin in the US. Norton Rose's impending South African merger partner Deneys Reitz advised on South African merger control issues.

Meanwhile, Herbert Smith also picked up a role advising Constellation's management team, with London corporate partner Mark Geday and senior associate Martin Griffiths advising alongside Australia's Freehills.

Norton Rose's Crookes said: "We have been advising Constellation for at least five years. It will be interesting to see how this will see the company developing going forward. We certainly hope to continue to advise the group within the UK."