Addleshaw Goddard and Linklaters have won the lead roles on Sainsbury's push into the discount grocery market, forged through a tie-up with Danish retailer Netto.

Sainsbury's has formed a joint venture with Dansk Supermarked, owner of the Netto brand, to open a chain of discount stores in the UK.

The venture intends to launch 15 Netto stores nationwide by the end of 2015. Both parties will each invest £12.5m, expecting to incur losses of between £5m and £10m each in the year to March 2015.

Addleshaw Goddard acted for Sainsbury's with a team led by corporate partner Andrew Rosling, client relationship partner Jonathan Davey and competition partner Bruce Kilpatrick.

Dansk Supermarked turned to Linklaters, which fielded a team led by corporate partner Paul McNicholl.

Both Addleshaws and Linklaters are on Sainsbury's' legal panel. The supermarket giant completed its third review of legal advisers earlier this year, with King & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin and TLT winning first-time places.

Sainsbury's has recently mandated Addleshaws on deals including its joint venture with Vodafone to create a new mobile phone network, which formed last July. Linklaters took a role advising Vodafone.

Netto sold its stores to Asda for £778m in 2010, marking its exit from the UK market. Walker Morris acted for Dansk Supermarked on the sale, while Slaughter and May took the lead role for Asda. Pinsent Masons carried out due diligence, commercial contracts and employment work for Asda.