Linklaters has joined French firms Bredin Prat and Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier among the beneficiaries of the protracted €70bn (£47bn) merger saga involving Gas de France (GdF) and Suez, which was finally approved yesterday (3 September).

Bredin Prat, the French ally of Slaughter and May, advised Suez alongside City giant Linklaters, while Darrois Villey acted for GdF on a deal that was originally announced in February 2006.