Ashurst and Clifford Chance (CC) have taken the lead roles on one of the biggest European property deals in recent months – the A2bn (£1.4bn) sale and leaseback of 1,152 branches of Spain’s Banco Santander.

Ashurst fielded a team of real estate, finance and tax lawyers from its London and Madrid offices to advise Sun Capital Partners and its UK insurance business Pearl on the deal.