DEALS OF THE WEEK

13.09.2001

Most reproduced deal: Halifax sole practitioner Steven Bonfield, who set up in April 2001 to advise businesses in the Calderdale area of West Yorkshire, acted for office company Eurocopy on its 650,000 acquisition of the photocopying and fax business of CBS Business Equipment, advised by the Coventry office of UK/US firm Reed Smith Warner Cranston.Most biddable deal: Lewis Silkin acted for Internet auction house iCollector on its placing and open offer to raise 2.7 million and recommended offer by Ableauctions.com, which values the company at 10 million.

US firm Dorsey & Whitney advised Ableauctions.com.Best teed-up deal: Derby firm Flint Bishop & Barnett acted for the English Golf Union on a deal with the AA, advised by Linklaters, and AdvanceWave, advised by Pinsent Curtis Biddle, to set up a new company - called Golf England - to manage the commercial business of amateur golf.

There are 1,900 golf clubs in England.Best bet deal: Olswang advised Ladbrokes on two deals to enhance its on-line gaming presence: the first was for an alliance to challenge the Swedish government to allow Ladbrokes to enter the Swedish betting market, which is currently subject to a statutory monopoly; the second was the creation of an on-line casino operated by Ladbrokes and marketed by Playboy under the Playboy brand, with interactive Playboy 'betting bunnies'.

Playboy was advised in-house.Most limited deal: Fladgate Fielder advised a consortium of investors under the name Regal Mortgages, on the acquisition of a mixed commercial and residential mortgage portfolio with a face value of 80 million.

The transaction was effected using a limited liability partnership - rather than a corporate joint venture vehicle as is usually used - and is thought to be the first time an LLP has been used for a deal of this nature.

The identity of the seller, who was advised in-house, is confidential.Best insured deal: Taylor Joynson Garrett represented Inspop.com, an on-line insurance marketplace company, on its acquisition for an undisclosed amount by the Admiral Group, advised by US firm Buchanan Ingersoll.Best recruited deal: Herbert Smith advised recruitment company Michael Page International on the pre-let of 3,000 square metres of new headquarters at Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square, London.

Travers Smith Braithwaite acted for Garbe, the developer.