Instructions of the week - 06.02.2003

National insurance giant Direct Line has selected eight law firms from a shortlist of 24 after a review of its legal panel to handle insurance claims, which involved research into the firms' businesses and support services, as well as an examination of recent cases.

The eight are: regional firms Shoosmiths and Irwin Mitchell, Southampton firm Moore & Blatch, Manchester and Surrey-based colemans-ctts, Warrington firm Michael Halsall, Leigh-based Stephensons, Lyons Davidson in Bristol, and Scottish practice Harper McLeod.

Preston-based Ricksons is anticipating a 1 million boost in turnover from new clients brought to the firm by a team of seven personal injury lawyers that has joined from the Manchester and Leeds offices of Whittles.

The team, headed by partner Glyn Jones, who is advising insurers in relation to the Selby rail crash, brings in clients including Fortis, Direct Line and Groupama.

City firm Theodore Goddard has completed two venture capital trust investments in a week for new client Downing Classic VCT 3: a share and loan stock subscription in restaurant group Ma Potters, advised by Pinsent Curtis Biddle, and a 750,000 placing and convertible loan stock subscription in south Wales bus company and coach operator 2 Travel Group, advised by Eversheds.

Meanwhile, Eversheds has won a four-way tender to act for the Ministry of Defence on the procurement for its proposed combined aerial target service under a public private partnership, which will be worth an estimated 750 million over 20 years.

The service will be required to provide a world-wide sub and supersonic 'live' aerial target capability to UK armed forces at all times.

City firm Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw has won its first 'significant' UK instruction from Cambridge Antibody Technology Group, advising on its merger with Oxford Glycosciences, advised in the UK by Slaughter and May, to create a leading European biotechnology company.

Bristol firm Burges Salmon has won a competitive tender to advise Bank of Ireland UK Financial Services on all of its employment law matters in the UK.

The Solent office of regional firm Shoosmiths is set to begin advising furniture retailer Ikea on planning matters after associate Kirsten Hewson joined the firm from Lovells.

The Manchester office of Hill Dickinson has picked up construction client Dandara - which has around 30 million worth of projects in the north-west - after the arrival of Howard Cornes from DLA to establish a construction team in the office.