Law firms will bank almost £200m from advising on the third-largest corporate takeover ever – brewer SABMiller’s £79bn acquisition by Budweiser owner Anheuser-Busch InBev.

In total, the two companies will pay an astonishing $2bn in fees and taxes to complete the UK’s biggest business merger yet.

Shareholder documents released this morning show the deal will yield some of the largest fees ever paid to bankers and other advisers.

AB InBev will pay $860m to its financiers and brokers – and a further $185m (£140m) for legal advice assuming the deal is completed.

It is understood magic circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer will take the bulk of the cash, after the deal prompted a number of competition reviews and disposals.

SABMiller, meanwhile, will pay law firms, principally Linklaters $76m (£58m), in fees for their work.

The takeover, which SABMiller’s board has backed, is expected to go ahead.