A lineup of US and European firms have taken roles on Liberty Global's $4.5bn (£2.8bn) acquisition of Germany's Kabel Baden-Wuerttemberg (KBW) after an auction led by private equity sellers EQT Partners.

US cable operator Liberty instructed both Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and US firm Ropes & Gray on the deal, with the firms advising on M&A and financing respectively.

The magic circle firm is fielding a Germany-based team led by Hamburg corporate partner Michael Haidinger. Ropes & Gray is advising on the high-yield bond financing backing the deal with a London-based team led by finance partner Jane Rogers (pictured), alongside fellow finance partner Tania Bedi on the banking side.

Meanwhile, German leader Hengeler Mueller is acting for EQT alongside Cravath Swaine & Moore. Clifford Chance (CC) is advising the banks.

Hengeler is advising on German law with a team including Munich partners Hans-Joerg Ziegenhain and Steffen Oppenlaender and Frankfurt banking partner Alexander Rang, while Cravath is fielding a team under London managing partner Philip Boeckman. CC's team is headed up by M&A partner Arndt Stengel, antitrust partner Marc Besen, finance partners Christopher Kellett and Claudie Grisius.

Allen & Overy has taken a lead role advising the underwriters – JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse – with a lead led by London-based finance partner Philip Bowden.

In addition, US firms Latham & Watkins and Shearman & Sterling advised the underwriters on the high-yield side, fielding team led by Scott Colwell and Stephan Hutter respectively.

Ropes' Rogers commented: "[The deal is] testament to the team we have built in London that we are able to assist Liberty in yet another jumbo telecom-financing acquisition. With a completely London-based team, we are able to provide a fully integrated finance offering, which is what large, sophisticated clients such as Liberty Global want and need."

The purchase is subject to antitrust approval, with the cross-border bond financing backing the deal set to be the largest acquisition-backed bond financing since Liberty's purchase of Unitymedia in 2009. Freshfields and Ropes also advised Liberty on that deal.

For more, see Ropes & Gray gains early Euro boost with role on €3.5bn Liberty takeover.