Wragge & Co LLP has advised De Rigo, Italian parent company of Dollond & Aitchison, on creating the UK's second largest optical chain. De Rigo and Alliance Boots have agreed to merge the Dollond & Aitchison and Boots Opticians businesses in a new jointly-owned venture.

The combined business will have around 690 branches, including 210 franchises, and employ more than 5,000 people. Subject to competition authority approval, the transaction will complete in the second quarter of 2009.

Corporate partner Jeremy Millington led a cross-firm team with assistance from solicitors Nigel Collins, Louise Baillie and Stephanie Lo. Partner Richard Black and associate Kevin Milton provided pensions support. Richard Lee and Claire Hughes advised on employee consultation, Stephen White dealt with property issues, Lisa Page provided intellectual property advice, Bernardine Adkins advised on antitrust clearance and Rhian Vandrill led due diligence.

They worked closely with Maurizio Dessolis and Roberto Zaina of De Rigo. Stefano Mazzotti and Ida Palombella of Chiomenti Studio Legale in Italy also advised De Rigo.

Jeremy Millington says, "This is our first major corporate instruction for De Rigo. Choosing us to advise on this market-leading and complex deal underpins our reputation for providing high-quality commercial and legal advice."

Maurizio Dessolis, vice chairman of De Rigo says: "We have been impressed by the quality and speed of the assistance provided to us by Wragge & Co, which allowed us to manage the process efficiently."

De Rigo designs, manufactures, markets and distributes eyewear products in 80 countries worldwide. Brands include Lozza, Police and Sting as well as licensed brands Celine, Chopard, Escada, Etro, Furla, Givenchy, Jeal Paul Gautier and others. It acquired Dollond & Aitchison in 1998. Wragge & Co's Pensions team has a longstanding relationship with Birmingham-based Dollond & Aitchison.

Alliance Boots is an international pharmacy-led health and beauty group, specialising in pharmacy and beauty retailing and pharmaceutical wholesaling. It employs more than 110,000 people in more than 20 countries. It is privately owned by Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co and Alliance Boots' executive chairman Stefano Pessina. Boots Opticians is a subsidiary of Alliance Boots, with 288 outlets in the UK. David Foster, general counsel of the health and beauty division of Alliance Boots, led the team advising Alliance Boots. Caroline Green of Browne Jacobson provided support on property matters. Allen & Overy advised on tax and antitrust issues.

Wragge & Co's 70-lawyer Corporate group boasts a strong reputation for providing mid-market M&A advice and wide-ranging international credentials. Last year, the group completed a string of transactions for FTSE-250 precision instruments company Spectris plc, including its acquisition of US-based nCode International for an initial consideration of £17.5 million and its acquisition of the LDS Test and Measurement business from SPX Corporation for an initial consideration of $86 million. Other international deals include advising Swedish company Haldex AB on its £75 million cross-border acquisition of Concentric plc from Bridgepoint. This year, the group advised NASDAQ-listed Automatic Data Processing, Inc on a cross-border acquisition deal.

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For further information about this press release, contact Kathryn Hobbs on +44 (0)121 685 2785, Rebecca Davies on +44 (0)121 685 3819, Gayle Redding on +44 (0)121 685 2708 or Rebecca Lum on +44 (0)121 260 9973

This press release may contain information of general interest about current legal issues, but does not give legal advice.