Most sparkling deal: Regional firm Laytons acted for mining company River Diamonds on its admission to trading on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) and an associated £1.7 million placing. City firm Nicholson Graham & Jones acted for WH Ireland, the nominated adviser and broker.


Most taxing deal: Milton Keynes-based Kimbells acted for tax consultancy 42 Consulting on its sale to accountancy firm Bentley Jennison for an undisclosed sum. The Birmingham office of Cobbetts acted for the buyer.



Most cinematic deal: City firm Ashurst advised private equity house Terra Firma Capital Partners on the acquisition of two of the UK's largest cinema chains, Odeon and UCI, for an undisclosed sum. City firm Macfarlanes acted for Odeon, while US firm Shearman & Sterling advised UCI. Clifford Chance acted for Barclays, lender to Terra Firm on both deals.



Most swinging deal: North-west firm Brabners Chaffe Street acted for Howard Bilton and Tony Norton on the sale of a majority stake in American Golf Discount Centre for an undisclosed sum. On the funding side, Birmingham firm Wragge & Co advised private equity house Lloyds Development Capital and national firm Eversheds acted for the Royal Bank of Scotland. The Leeds office of Hammonds acted for the management team on the buy-out.



Rarest deal: City firm Berwin Leighton Paisner acted for Tanzanite One on its admission to AIM and an associated placing that raised £5 million. Tanzanite One is involved in the mining and marketing of tanzanite, a rare blue-violet gemstone which is one thousand times rarer than diamonds. City firm Memery Crystal advised Williams de Bröe, the nominated adviser and broker.