Instructions of the week - 09.01.2003

Southampton firm Eric Robinson has moved quickly to set up a new bulk mortgage operation after winning a major contract from The Mortgage Lender (TML).

The firm recruited 24 staff in ten weeks from across the country - solicitors, legal executives and administrative staff - and created reporting and other procedures to communicate with TML in handling an initial 180 files.

The firm is now looking to expand its bulk work.

Managing partner Andrew Barker said: 'Many worked all through the night to get the work done.

At one point, we were operating 16 hours a day.

On top of that, our practice managers have been interviewing staff every day.'

City firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain has been appointed adviser to the new government-sponsored venture capital company, London Seed Capital.

The company is to receive 2.65 million from the government's small business service to co-invest with business angels in amounts up to a maximum of 100,000.

Reynolds partner Ron Norman has been appointed chairman of the company's investment committee, which advises the board on whether an investment should be pursued.

Bristol firm Burges Salmon has completed its first deal for BBA Group, the leading corporate aviation services provider, on the strategic sale of its aircraft engineering and aircraft charter businesses to PremiAir Aviation Group, advised by London firm Glovers.

Birmingham-based Martineau Johnson has secured a hat-trick of wins in the further education sector: it is to provide a range of services to Barnsley College in south Yorkshire and City of Bath College in Somerset, and will also advise Pershore Group of Colleges on its joint venture with the Bulmer Foundation to develop the group's Hertfordshire estate as Europe's leading centre for sustainable land use.

Pinsent Curtis Biddle has won a competitive tender to be sole legal adviser to Leeds Metropolitan University, which has around 37,000 students and 2,500 staff.

Kent firm Brachers and south London practice Capsticks have been appointed joint legal advisers to Worthing and Southlands NHS Trust and nine west Sussex primary care trusts, as well as one acute trust, for the next three years.