01.03.2007


Most refined deal: National firm Pinsent Masons acted for broker Hanson Westhouse on the admission to AIM of petrochemical and speciality chemical refining business Haike Chemical Group. US firm O'Melveny & Myers and China-based King & Wood advised Haike.



Starriest deal: The London office of US firm Weil Gotshal & Manges advised GE Commercial Aviation Services on the sale of a majority stake in General Electric Commercial Aviation Training (GECAT) to investment fund manager Star Capital Partners for an undisclosed sum. GECAT is Europe's second largest provider of flight training services, with a global network of 55 flight simulators. City firms Norton Rose and Travers Smith advised Star's and GECAT's management respectively.



Most eventful deal: London firm Wedlake Bell advised Arena Group on a management buyout of the events services supplier from its parent group Evenser for an undisclosed sum. High-profile events Arena Group has worked on include Wimbledon, the MTV Europe awards and the Ryder Cup. Travers Smith advised Evenser, while City firm Herbert Smith acted for finance provider Allied Irish Bank.



Fruitiest deal: Kent firm Thomson Snell & Passmore advised KG Growers, a growers' co-operative that sells produce including strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, on the sale of its wholly-owned subsidiary KG Fruits and the establishment of a £35 million joint venture - Berry Gardens - with Spanish company Alconeras and Dutch business Driscoll International. Bristol firm Burges Salmon advised Berry Gardens, US firm Thelen Reid & Priest acted for Driscoll and Spanish firm Unilco advised Alconeras.



Most continental deal: Magic circle firm Allen & Overy advised Invista European Real Estate Trust and its backers Bank of Scotland and Chelsfield Partners on the trust's initial public offering (IPO), the first listing of a Luxembourg close-ended fund on the London Stock Exchange passported under the EU Prospectus Directive. The fund has a ¤488 million (£327 million) portfolio of commercial real estate assets in seven European countries. Herbert Smith acted for the fund on the English law aspects of the IPO, while Norton Rose acted for joint global coordinators JPMorgan Cazenove and Citigroup. DLA Piper acted for Invista Real Estate Management.