HSF and Pinsents tune in for $7.4bn telecoms deal alongside US firms

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Pinsent Masons are acting alongside a host of US firms on the $7.4bn (£5.6bn) acquisition of US telecoms infrastructure company Arris by CommScope Holding Company.

CommScope makes telecom equipment, including cables and antennas, while Arris produces cable TV set-top boxes. The proposed deal would create a company with approximately $11.3bn (£8.6bn) in revenue and is expected to complete in the first half of 2019.

HSF is advising Arris alongside US firm Troutman Sanders, with global head of M&A Gavin Davies and corporate partners Alex Kay and Caroline Rae leading HSF’s team.

The firm won a first-time corporate advisory role to Arris three years ago when the company bought rival Pace for £1.4bn.

Pinsents, meanwhile is advising CommScope, working along US firm Alston & Bird which is advising CommScope on the US elements on the deal

London corporate partners Rob Hutchings and Roberta Markovina are leading the Pinsents team, while the Alston team is being led by private equity head Mark Kelly and corporate partner William Snyder.

Cravath Swaine & Moore also has a role on the deal, advising the Carlyle Group on its $1bn equity investment as part of CommScope’s financing of the transaction, with the firm’s team led by M&A partners Keith Hallam and Jenny Hochenberg.