Advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi was advised by Macfarlanes over its £4bn acquisition by French advertising giant Publicis in a deal that will create the fifth largest advertising agency in the world.

Herbert Smith advised Publicis with a team led by corporate partner Anthony Macaulay. Corporate lawyer and senior partner Robert Sutton headed the Macfarlanes team. Saatchi & Saatchi was also advised by Paris firm Bredin Prat and White & Case in the US.