Linklaters and Clifford Chance (CC) are in line to take lead roles on commodities trader Glencore's planned initial public offering (IPO), which is set to value the company at around $60bn ($36.7bn).

The offering, likely to become the largest ever in London, will see the Swiss-based company sell a 20% stake worth between $10bn (£6.1bn) and $12bn (£7.3bn).

Linklaters is understood to have taken a lead role for the issuer, fielding a team led by London corporate partner Charlie Jacobs, assisted by US-qualified corporate partner Patrick Sheil, Hong Kong finance partner Robert Cleaver and London-based energy chief Owen Clay.

Fellow magic circle firm CC is advising the underwriters, with a team headed up by equity capital markets chief Adrian Cartwright, alongside US securities partner John Connolly, Hong Kong finance partner Amy Lo and London corporate partner David Lewis.

Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and Credit Suisse are lead managers and global co-ordinators of the flotation, while the five banks managing the IPO are Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital, BNP Paribas, Societe Generale and UBS.

Norton Rose has also took a role on the deal, advising Glencore on UK tax aspects. Employee benefits chief David Cohen is leading the firm's team, having advised Glencore on its UK shareholding structure since 1994.

It is understood that Glencore will use the proceeds of the flotation to consolidate its European presence, as well as buying larger assets.

In February this year, Cartwright headed up a CC team advising Russian commodities company Koks Group on its planned $500m (£314m) London Stock Exchange IPO, a float which was recently postponed due to "the current market environment".