Most natural deal: National firm Halliwells advised the shareholders of Natural Gas Shipping Services on the acquisition of a stake in the company by Russia's Gazprom, the world's largest exporter of natural gas, for an undisclosed sum. The London office of US firm Hunton & Williams advised Gazprom.

Most express deal: City firm Herbert Smith advised Virgin Holdings, Virgin Rail Group and National Express Trains on the £163 million auction sale of Trainline, the on-line train ticket retailer to private equity firm Exponent. City firm Travers Smith acted for Exponent.


Most pioneering deal: City firm Middleton Potts advised Pointon Group on the first-ever sale of a UK bank to a Russian-controlled entity, the sale of Pointon York to Bankas Snoras for an undisclosed sum. City firm Simmons & Simmons advised the purchaser.


Most airborne deal: Regional firm Bond Pearce advised the management of helicopter operator British International on a £19 million buyout. The deal was funded by Matrix Private Equity Partners, advised by Bristol firm Burges Salmon. Osborne Clarke advised the vendors, while UK/US firm DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cray acted for finance provider Halifax Bank of Scotland.


Most highly-rated deal: City firm Linklaters advised Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) on a £4.7 billion residential mortgage backed securitisation, Arran Residential Mortgages Funding No.1. This consisted of five tranches of notes, including £2.9 billion of three-year notes rated triple-A by three rating agencies. City firm Allen & Overy advised RBS and RBS Greenwich Capital as joint lead managers.


Most recognisable deal: City firm Taylor Wessing advised Telephonetics on its acquisition of Voice Integrated Products, the speech recognition company, for £12 million. City firm Bird & Bird and Bournemouth-based Ellis Jones advised the sellers.


Most special deal: The London office of US firm O'Melveny & Myers is acting for GIC Special Investments on its role in the Goldman Sachs-led consortium bidding to buy Associated British Ports (ABP) for £2.7 billion. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is advising the consortium and Goldman Sachs, while Slaughter and May is acting for ABP.