Allen & Overy (A&O) and Linklaters have snared the prize mandates on insurance giant Aviva's proposed merger with Friends Life.

A&O is advising FTSE 100 company Aviva on the deal, estimated to be worth £5.6bn, while Linklaters has taken the lead role for Friends Life.

A&O's team includes corporate finance partner David Broadley and insurance partner Philip Jarvis, with corporate partner Richard Browne also having taken a role at an earlier stage.

Linklaters' team for Friends Life is being led by corporate partner Matthew Bland, who also took a role this year representing Friends Life on the £317m disposal of its Lombard business. Global head of corporate Jeremy Parr and corporate insurance partner Victoria Sander also feature for Linklaters.

Other regular advisers to Aviva include Slaughter and May, which has recently advised on mandates including the de-risking of its staff pension scheme through a £5bn longevity swap earlier this year.

Aviva refreshed its corporate panel line-up last year, awarding places to both A&O and Slaughters as well as Latham & Watkins, Linklaters, Ashurst, DLA Piper, Pinsent Masons and Addleshaw Goddard. The appointments are set to run until the end of next year.