Deals of the week - 10.07.2003

Oiliest deal: City giant Linklaters acted for BP, and US/UK firm Jones Day Gouldens and US firm White & Case for Russian oil producer TNK, on their $18 billion joint venture, the largest single foreign investment in Russian history.

The signing ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Tony Blair and Russian president Vladimir Putin.

On completion, TNK-BP will be the third-largest oil producer in Russia and BP will be the second-largest private sector producer in the world.

Most marine deal: Manchester firm Linder Myers acted for Stanton Land and Marine on its purchase for an undisclosed sum of the former Cammel Laird shipyard at Birkenhead from BAE systems, advised by Eversheds.

Stanton intends to regenerate the 60-acre site and create up to 3,000 jobs.

Best networked deal: Magic circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer acted for Barclays Bank, HSBC and Merrill Lynch, as well as the hedge counterparties, in providing 4 billion of financing facilities to Network Rail through a complex commercial paper programme.

Linklaters advised Network Rail and Allen & Overy represented the Strategic Rail Authority.

Most militaristic deal: US/UK firm Dechert acted for EDO Corporation, which provides military products and professional services, on its 15 million purchase of the Emblem Group, which supplies niche aerospace and defence products and services, advised by City firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain.

Most sporting deal: City firm Howard Kennedy is acting for the Sport Entertainment and Media Group - a management group which counts boxer Lennox Lewis, footballer Thierry Henry and model Nell McAndrew among its clients - on the 9.4 million recommended bid from its management to take the company private.

Pinsents is acting for Sports Holdings, headed by the group's existing chief executive, Jerome Anderson.

Barclays Bank, advised by Bristol firm Osborne Clarke, is providing funding.

Most historic deal: Baker & McKenzie advised Raffles Holding on its 52 million sale of Browns Hotel in Mayfair to a company jointly owned by Sir Rocco Forte and his family, and the Bank of Scotland.

Browns Hotel was founded in 1837 and was the site from which Alexander Graham Bell made the first telephone call and Rudyard Kipling wrote several of his works.

The Forte family was advised by City firm Withers, while Scottish firm Maclay Murray Spens acted for the Bank of Scotland.

The special purchase vehicle was represented by Westminster firm RadcliffesLeBrasseur.

Most convenient deal: The Manchester office of Hammonds acted for the Co-operative Group on its 30 million acquisition of the Balfour chain of 76 convenience stores and 35 newsagents.

Balfour's owners, 3i and the senior management, were advised by southern firm Blake Lapthorn Linnell.