Instructions of the week - 02.05.2002

Carlisle firm Burnetts has scored a first by being selected to represent the joint interests of two UK local authorities.

The 14-partner firm defeated competition from a number of larger national firms, including Pinsent Curtis Biddle, to secure instruction from Allerdale and Copeland borough councils.

As part of the agreement the firm will provide training and education to council employees and a job-shadowing scheme, in addition to legal services.

Burnetts partner John Noctor said: 'Five firms from the north-east and midlands were invited to tender for work the council felt it couldn't handle in-house.

This was shortlisted to two and then we were chosen.'

Allerdale council has also chosen Burnetts to act on the 35 million redevelopment of Workington town centre and the acquisition of the former Broughton Moor Arms Depot - one of the largest brownfield sites in the north of England - from the Ministry of Defence.

London and Manchester firm Leigh Day & Co has secured the legal work of British Cycling, the governing body for cycle sport, after recruiting its external lawyer, Sue Bence, from Kennedys.

The 9 million purchase of generic drug company BMS Group by Dr Reddy's, India's only US-listed pharmaceutical company, has meant new instructions for two firms.

Birmingham's Lee Crowder acted for BMS, while Taylor Vinters in Cambridge acted for Dr Reddy's on its first UK acquisition.

There is a new Swedish client for City firm Bird & Bird in the shape of Cyber Com Consulting, which has just entered the UK market by spending an initial 3 million to buy Stratum Project Management, advised by Royds Treadwell.

Landwell has received its first instruction from Mitsukan Group Corporation of Japan - Japan's largest producer of rice vinegar products - on its acquisition of The Manor Vinegar Brewery from Greencore Group, advised by Hammond Suddards Edge.

It is Mitsukan's first UK acquisition.

London firm Collyer-Bristow has been selected by Radio 1 to give legal advice to musicians trying to build recording careers.

OneMusic is the Radio 1 Web site created to help and showcase unsigned musicians, and includes an Ask the Experts feature where the firm will provide the legal answers.

Bevan Ashford has been appointed to advise North Glamorgan NHS Trust on a private public partnership (PPP) to provide a 20 million neighbourhood facility in the centre of Merthyr Tydfil as a 'radically different approach to healthcare'.

Manchester firm Cobbetts is another of the 40-plus firms to have won a place on the Disability Rights Commission's new legal panels (see [2002] Gazette, 11 April, 6).

It has joined both the main employment panel and more specialist education panel.