Allen & Overy (A&O) has consolidated its growing relationship with Royal & Sun Alliance (RSA) by advising it on the £60m sale of its group risk business to Canada Life – the firm’s second major corporate instruction from RSA in three months.

The instruction has given A&O the edge in its on-going battle with Ashurst Morris Crisp, RSA’s other corporate adviser, for the right to the lion’s share of its top transactional work.