Hogan Lovells and Clifford Chance (CC) have won the leading roles on Kingfisher's proposed £140m sale of its controlling stake in B&Q China to Beijing's Wumei Holdings.

FTSE 100 home improvement retailer Kingfisher, which owns the B&Q brand, will hand over a 70% stake to the retail chain store operator in a cash deal.

It is expected to close during the first half of next year if it gains approval from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

Hogan Lovells chair Nicholas Cheffings, who is the client relationship partner for Kingfisher, and Beijing corporate partner Jun Wei are leading the team advising the retailer. Other Hogan Lovells lawyers in the team include London corporate partners Guy Potel and Tom Brassington as well as City tax partner Karen Hughes.

Meanwhile, CC's Hong Kong office is acting for Wumei on the transaction, with corporate partner Neeraj Budhwani heading up the team.

Hogan Lovells was one of only two firms securing key roles in 2012 to handle Kingfisher's major transactional work, after the group slashed its line-up of primary legal advisers from 10 to two. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer was the other firm appointed for major corporate and M&A work.

Firms previously holding roles on the panel included CC, Allen & Overy and DLA Piper.

At the same time Macfarlanes, Addleshaw Goddard and legacy Wragge & Co were thought to have been appointed to advise on areas such as property and employment, with legacy Bond Pearce handling UK commercial and IT work.

Kingfisher, which is the third-largest home improvement retailer in the world, also owns UK DIY supplier Screwfix, as well as French DIY retailers Brico Depot and Castorama.

B&Q opened its first store in China in 1999 and currently has 39 stores employing over 3,000 people.

Wumei's retail network comprises around 650 supermarkets and 10 department stores in northern, eastern and western China.