Cravath Swaine & Moore and Sidley Austin have taken the lead corporate roles on a multibillion-dollar US acquisition by consumer products group Unilever.

The acquisition sees Unilever acquire haircare rival Alberto Culver – owner of brands such as V05, St. Ives and TRESemme – in a $3.7bn (£2.3bn) deal, adding to the Anglo-Dutch group’s portfolio of haircare brands such as Dove and Sunsilk.