30.10.2003

A major new contract for national firm Irwin Mitchell kicks off this week's round-up.

It has been appointed by the British Medical Association to handle its employment law services on behalf of its 127,000 members across the UK.

The World Bank has selected City firm Denton Wilde Sapte as legal consultant to the Republic of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Economic Development in relation to the privatisation of Baku Gas.

Birmingham firm Wragge & Co has been appointed as sole legal adviser to joint venture developers Oakmoor Estates and Deeley Properties on the 100 million, 3.5 acre leisure and living development of Coventry city centre.

City firm Herbert Smith's alliance with Benelux firm Stibbe has brought in Dutch-based Getronics as a new client.

Getronics is one of Europe's leading providers of information and communication technology solutions and services, and Stibbe introduced Herbert Smith to work on its issue of 100 million convertible bonds.

Clifford Chance advised ABN AMRO Rothschild, sole lead manager and bookrunner.

Herbert Smith has also acted for an investment adviser for the first time, representing AIB Capital Markets as the investment adviser to the 407 million Galway Bay collaterised debt obligation.

While AIB - a subsidiary of Allied Irish Banks - is not a new client for Herbert Smith, this is the first time it has acted for the company on a securitisation.

City firm Lovells has acted for Sanlam, South Africa's second largest life insurer, for the first time.

It advised on the acquisition of Merchant Investors Assurance Company from the Allianz Group, Sanlam's first move into the UK life insurance sector.

Slaughter and May acted for Allianz.

City firm Bird & Bird has advised new listed client Emess on the 11 million sale of its lighting division to The National Lighting Company, advised by US firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.

City firm Macfarlanes has completed its first 'significant assignment' for Warner Estate Holdings - due diligence and associated negotiations on the 164 million acquisition of an industrial estate portfolio from the Morley Fund.

Clifford Chance led the legal aspects for Warner.

Norwich Union's in-house team advised the fund.

Hammonds has won a competitive pitch to advise regional development agency Advantage West Midlands on the establishment of a new business exchange in Birmingham to help local companies raise money in the 500,000 to 5 million range.

Hammonds had to compete against the agency's other panel firms for the work.