Deals of the week - 22.08.2002

Booziest deal: The Hartford Group is being advised by CMS Cameron McKenna on corporate issues and Field Fisher Waterhouse on property matters in its 5 million bid for City-based wine bar and brasserie chain Jamies Bars, advised by City Law Partnership.

Most indebted deal: Norton Rose acted for the Switch debit card scheme on its acquisition by MasterCard's global debit brand Maestro which will see the Switch brand phased out.

Linklaters (branding, agency and competition issues) and Bird & Bird (transaction processing issues) advised MasterCard.

Healthiest deal: Central London firm Woolf Simmonds represented the Medical Direct Group on its 6 million purchase by US company Hooper Holmes, advised by City firm Taylor Joynson Garrett.

Creepiest deal: London firm Howard Kennedy advised the UK Film and Television Production Company on its co-production and financing of a new IMAX film entitled 'Bugs!' It is contributing 1 million to the production costs: other sources of funding included the Film Council, which contributed 1 million via the Film Consortium (advised by Irish firm A&L Goodbody) and Coutts Bank (advised by Denton Wilde Sapte).

The producers were advised by Drew & Co.

Sportiest deal: Wembley was advised by Memery Crystal on corporate issues and Lawrence Graham on property matters in the 48 million sale of subsidiary Wembley (London) to Quintain Estates and Developments, represented by Nabarro Nathanson.

The deal includes the 44-acre site adjacent to the stadium which contains Wembley Arena and Wembley Conference Centre.

Wettest deal: Ashurst Morris Crisp represented the management of the Commodore Group - the passenger and freight carrier between the UK and Channel Islands - in their buyout of the company.

Watson Farley Williams acted for the vendors, while CMS Cameron McKenna advised funder ABN AMRO Capital.

Most swinging deal: Somerset firms Barrington & Sons (property law) and Reddings Company Law Consultancy (commercial law) acted for Leaderboard Golf on its 6 million purchase of the the Oxfordshire Golf Club from the administrators for Nitto Albion, Ernst & Young, represented by Field Fisher Waterhouse.