Fastest deal: Regional firm Laytons acted for Red Bull, the Austrian energy drink company, on its purchase of Jaguar Racing, the owner of the Formula One team, from Ford for an undisclosed sum. Birmingham firm Wragge & Co acted for Ford, which was also advised by City firms Slaughter and May, and Macfarlanes on tax and commercial matters respectively.

Happiest deal: City firm Travers Smith has advised Clinton Cards on its £49 million acquisition of the Birthdays Group, the nationwide greetings cards retailer. Clifford Chance acted for the lending banks, Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland, while Anglo-Scottish firm McGrigors advised the selling shareholders.


Slinkiest deal: City firm Charles Russell advised Bendon, the New Zealand-based fashion company which manufactures and markets the Elle Macpherson Intimates lingerie range, on a new multinational licence agreement with the Australian supermodel. City firm Manches acted for Ms Macpherson.


Most original deal: Leeds-based Walker Morris advised the management team at The Original Factory Shop on a buyout worth £40 million. The discount retailer has 54 stores in the UK. Barclays Private Equity, which has taken a stake in the company, was advised by the Manchester office of Addleshaw Goddard.


Green-fingered deal: North-west firm Brabners Chaffe Street advised NWF Group on the disposal of its Country Stores business and its acquisition of the Victoria Garden Centre, a family-run business in Featherstone, Yorkshire, for an undisclosed sum. Worcester firm Hallmarks acted for Countrywide Farms, which bought Country Stores, while Halifax-based Wilkinson Woodward advised the sellers of Victoria Garden Centre.


Net-busting deal: National firm Pinsents advised West Bromwich Albion Holdings, a company formed to take the Alternative Investment Market-listed Premiership football club private. Regional firm Cobbetts acted for the plc's board and its independent financial advisers, Zeus Capital.