White & Case and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have lined up on the e1.5bn (£1.25bn) merger of Russian dairy company Unimilk with the local arm of French foods company Danone.

Freshfields took the lead for Danone, which last week agreed a joint venture with Unimilk, the second biggest dairy brand in the Commonwealth of Independent States. The team was lead by Paris corporate partner Antoine Vignial.