Clifford Chance (CC) has bolstered its links with highly-coveted buy-out giant Blackstone, advising on the US house’s first-ever float in Europe, the £423m listing of Southern Cross.

Blackstone instructed Ashurst on its 2004 acquisition of Southern Cross, an independent provider of residential and nursing care services, but CC landed the current role after it advised the private equity firm on its 2005 acquisition of care home provider NHP, which was then merged with Southern.