Meatiest deal: The Bristol office of Clarke Willmott acted for Lloyd Maunder on its purchase of the Dewhurst butchers chain for an undisclosed sum. Kent firm Cripps Harries Hall advised the sellers.

Most creative deal: City firm Kingsley Napley acted for Tim Ansell, owner and managing director of games software business The Creative Assembly, on the $30 million (£16 million) sale of the company to Sega Europe, advised by City firm Ashurst.


Most pain-free deal: City firm Beachcroft Wansbroughs acted for Minster Pharmaceuticals on its admission to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) with a £60 million market capitalisation following the acquisition of BioPartners. BioPartners holds a licence from pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline to develop a compound which it is hoped will help migraine sufferers. South-east firm DMH Stallards advised the shareholders of BioPartners.


Most graceful deal: City firm Herbert Smith advised the Royal Ballet School on securing planning permission for an expansion of its Richmond Park school premises. The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, had issued a direction to refuse permission on the ground that the development breached his policy against development on metropolitan open land, the London equivalent of green belt. However, the mayor was persuaded to lift the direction after a package of measures was agreed. The mayor was advised by the in-house team at the Greater London Authority.


Hippest deal: North-west firm Turner Parkinson advised Manchester band The Longcut on an international recording contract with Liverpool-based record company Deltasonic, with worldwide distribution by Sony. London firm Bray & Krais acted for Deltasonic.


Most consensual deal: City firm Herbert Smith acted for Consensus Business Group, the property company owned by Iranian businessman Vincent Tchenguiz, on a £366 million sale and leaseback joint venture with retail giant Tesco. The deal involved Tesco contributing 12 of its stores and two large distribution centres to a Jersey limited partnership owned 50% by Tesco and 50% by Consensus. City firm Berwin Leighton Paisner advised Tesco, while magic circle firm Clifford Chance acted for Deutsche Bank, which agreed a £315 million loan facility.