New York’s Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is representing American Home Products Corp. in the $3.8 billion sale of its agricultural chemical business to Germany’s BASF A.G. BASF has hired New York’s Shearman & Sterling.

The attorneys at Simpson Thacher are partner William E. Curbow and associates Edward J.H. Chung and Spencer A. Lehv. American Home has also retained Kathy A. Lawler, a partner at Morristown, N.J.’s Pitney, Hardin, Kipp & Szuch L.L.P., as benefits counsel.