Sullivan & Cromwell and Allen & Overy (A&O) are taking key advisory roles after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Friday (16 April) filed a civil suit accusing Goldman Sachs of securities fraud.

The suit, which claims Goldman created and sold a collateralised debt obligation (CDO) secretly designed to fail, is the first action taken by regulators against those that capitalised on the collapse of the US housing market.