Deals of the week - 24.10.2002

Best tracked deal: Surrey-based Mundays advised radar simulation company EW Simulation Technology on its 2.8 million sale to Herley, represented by Ashurst Morris Crisp.

Best housed deal: An 80-strong team from Pinsent Curtis Biddle acted for John Laing on the 297 million disposal of its house building division, Laing Homes, to George Wimpey, advised by Slaughter and May.

Most drugged deal: North-west firm DWF acted for OBG Pharmaceutical on its acquisition of Bioglan Laboratories - the pharmaceutical manufacturing division of Bioglan Pharma - from its receivers for an undisclosed sum.

Denton Wilde Sapte advised the Bioglan receivers.

Most caring deal: London firm Trowers & Hamlins acted for ASK (Greenwich) - a consortium comprising private sector contractors Kier and Shaftesbury Housing Association - on a 25 million private finance initiative (PFI) to provide care services to the elderly in the London Borough of Greenwich, advised by Nicholson Graham & Jones.

The funding for the scheme, the first PFI deal in the care sector, came from French bank Dexia, represented by CMS Cameron McKenna.

Best stamped deal: Lovells acted for Prudential Annuity Fund on its 42 million purchase of the new UK passport office at Globe House, in Victoria, London, for around 42 million from Jodi One Trust.

Property investors Dwyer advised the trust and were represented by Charles Russell.

Most mainstream deal: Taylor Wessing advised mortgage lender GMAC-RFC on its sale of a 650 million portfolio of mainstream loans to Mortgage Express, a subsidiary of Bradford & Bingley, represented by Herbert Smith.

Most rubbish deal: South-east firm Cripps Harries Hall acted for waste management company Cory Environmental on the acquisition for an undisclosed sum of a 106-hectare former colliery in St Helens from the Banks Group, advised by Newcastle-based Dickinson Dees.

Most entertaining deal: Anglo-American firm Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw worked with the in-house team of record company EMI on the signing of pop star Robbie Williams to the label for a reported 80 million.

London firm Sheridans advised Mr Williams.

Most nautical deal: Field Fisher Waterhouse advised publishers A&C Black on its acquisition for an undisclosed sum of Thomas Reed Publications, the nautical books imprint, from The ABR Company which was represented by London firm the Oberman Partnership.

Most educated deal: Cobbetts acted for Training Development Services (north-west) on its merger with fellow training provider Training 2000, advised by Blackburn-based Barlow Rowland.