Greenberg Traurig Maher (GTM) and Ashurst have taken the lead roles on the sale of pest control giant Rentokil's facilities management business to Interserve for £250m.

The deal, which is subject to shareholder approval, will see Interserve acquire Rentokil subsidiary Initial Facilities via a bank facility and share placement.

GTM advised FTSE 250 company Rentokil, with eight of the London office's 18 shareholders – the firm's equivalent of partner – taking a role.

The team was led by London co-heads Fiona Adams and Paul Maher, alongside Kate Eades (corporate), Cate Sharp (environment), Noami Feinstein (employment), Justin Hamer (tax), Stephen Tupper and Lisa Navarro (competition).

GTM's relationship with Rentokil goes back to office chairman Maher's time at Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), where he worked with newly installed Rentokil chief executive Andy Ransom in the 1980s.

"We are delighted to have been given the opportunity and vote of confidence to continue to work with the Rentokil legal and business team," commented Maher, who brought the relationship over from Mayer Brown after launching his firm's London office in 2009.

Meanwhile, Interserve turned to Ashurst for the deal, which fielded a team headed by corporate partner Jonathan Earle and including London partners Jan Sanders (energy), Jonathan Hoare (real estate), Richard Palmer (tax), Marcus Fink (employment) and Nigel Parr (competition).

Additional support on Spanish law matters was provided by partners Maria Jose Menendez Javier Hernandez Galante.

"Assisting a client such as Interserve, who we act for across practice areas and jurisdictions, in achieving their strategic goals is always particularly satisfying for the firm and the team involved," said Earle.