RBS has turned to long-standing advisor Linklaters as it bids to repair the damage done to its balance sheet by sub-prime losses.

Freshfields is advising the underwriting banks, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch and UBS, who will share a £210m payday by underwriting what is Britain's biggest ever rights issue.

RBS is set to announce write-downs of £5.9bn from investments linked to American sub-prime mortgage market.

The Freshfields team is being led by corporate partners Simon Witty and Sarah Murphy, alongside financial institutions partner Will Lawes.

Murphy said: "There is always pressure on a deal this large - everyone is looking at it. All the parties thought it was the right thing to do to raise the right amount of money to put RBS on a good footing going forward."

Linklaters' head of banking Robert Elliot is working on the issue with corporate partners Anne Drummond and Matthew Middleditch as well as US capital markets partner Tom Shropshire.

RBS is also hoping to raise a further £4bn by selling off its insurance portfolio, including Direct Line and Churchill.

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