Deals of the week 11.04.2002

Oiliest deal: Slaughter and May is acting for Shell Resources on its proposed 4.3 billion recommended takeover of Enterprise Oil, advised by Herbert Smith.

Most searching deal: The Oxford office of US firm Brobeck Hale & Dorr acted for Internet search provider Ask Jeeves in the $2.5 million (1.7 million) takeover of Carlton & Granada, the joint Web venture between the two media companies, advised by Lovells.

Fastest deal: Ashurst Morris Crisp acted for Jeronimo Martins SGPS in its sale of sports retail company the Lillywhites Group to Sports Soccer Limited.

CMS Cameron McKenna acted for the buyer in a deal done in 12 hours from instruction after all-night negotiations.

Ballsiest deal: DJ Freeman advised financial services firm Liverpool Victoria in its four-year 1 million sponsorship of the county cricket championship.

The England and Wales Cricket Board was represented in-house.

Most liquid deal: Surrey firm Mundays acted for water and waste engineering solution provider Biwater in the sale of its design and manufacturing business Spectrascan to Casella Cel, advised by Shoosmiths.

Booziest deal: Norton Rose acted for leisure and intellectual property company Chorion on its demerger, which will create two new companies - Urbium, a bar and nightclub venture, and an intellectual property business under the Chorion name.

Travers Smith Braithwaite represented Close Brothers Corporate Finance and Old Mutual Securities, Chorion's joint financial advisers.

Best-cooked deal: DLA acted for Aga Foodservice Group and Aga Consumer Products in the 5.4 million sale of gas cooker brands Flavel and Leisure to Beko UK, advised by London firm Reid Minty.

Most scientific deal: Nicholson Graham & Jones acted for the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in public private partnership joint venture agreements for the largest scientific facility in the UK for more than 30 years.

Diamond Light Source, a company created by the DTI and the Wellcome Trust, will run the project, which will see 235 million go towards first-phase construction.

The trust was represented in-house and by CMS Cameron McKenna.

The Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils, which will provide the premises, was advised by Manches.