A host of international law firms have combined to advise on General Electric’s (GE) acquisition of UK-based biosciences company Amersham – the largest US for UK share acquisition offer made by GE.

GE has offered $9.5bn for the entire share issue of Amersham – which also has a base in Norway – and sees Amersham’s investors take US shares in GE in exchange. The deal is expected to win shareholder and competition approval by next summer.