Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Ashurst have taken lead roles on engineering giant ABB’s £864m bid for FTSE 250 power company Chloride Group.

Freshfields corporate partners Barry O’Brien and Piers Prichard Jones are leading the firm’s team advising ABB on the offer, which will potentially set off a bidding war with US manufacturing company Emerson Electric, whose 275p per share offer was rejected two weeks ago.