Novartis has finalised its first legal panel since its $40bn (£25.6bn) takeover of Alcon last year, with magic circle trio Allen & Overy (A&O), Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters securing positions on the pharma company’s global roster.

The line-up, known as the Novartis Legal Preferred Firm Program, consists of four panels – with the core global roster sitting alongside advisers for US country, US country specialist and US country specialist intellectual property.