Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have taken on key roles as Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC prepares to become co-owner of RAC, the UK's second largest roadside assistance provider.

Following the investment, which is due to be completed by the end of the year, GIC and private equity house The Carlyle Group will jointly own a majority stake in the business with RAC management holding the remaining shares.

The deal was run as a dual-track offering, with the initial public offering (IPO) mooted earlier in the summer abandoned after GIC was identified as a buyer.

The Linklaters team advising both Carlyle and RAC was led by private equity partner Alex Woodward, who was assisted by partners Stuart Boyd and Nicole Kar and managing associate Chris Boycott.

Senior corporate partner Charlie Jacobs advised on the IPO alongside corporate partner John Lane and managing associate James Wootton.

During the IPO, the underwriters, which included BofA Merrill Lynch, BNP Paribas and Citigroup were advised by Latham & Watkins corproate partners Richard Brown, Olof Clausson and counsel James Inness.

Linklaters, along with magic circle firms Slaughter and May and Clifford Chance, also took a role in the original 2011 deal which saw Aviva sell off RAC to Carlyle for £1bn.

Freshfields is advising GIC, led by London corporate partners Richard Thexton and David Higgins with support from London corporate partner Adrian Maguire and senior associate Holly Kinchin-Smith.

GIC also fielded an in-house legal team which included London-based assistant general counsel Jarlath Pratt.

Freshfields had recently advised GIC on its acquisition of a majority interest in corporate pensions insurer Rothesay Life from Goldman Sachs.