Going Dutch: National firm DLA Piper advised a consortium of lenders on providing debt financing for Dutch retail group Maxeda, enabling it to pay €462.5m (£408m) of debt owed to Citibank.

Maxeda and its shareholders were advised by US firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and magic circle firm Clifford Chance. The lenders were advised by magic circle firm Link­laters.

Bricks and mortar: Midlands firm Needham & James advised Merton Borough Council on transferring 9,000 homes to a newly created housing association, Merton Priory Homes.

The association will invest £400m in the homes over the next 30 years.

Rag trade: City firm Olswang advised luxury fashion retailer Net-A-Porter on its £350m acquisition by luxury goods company Richemont, its largest shareholder, advised by magic circle firm Slaughter and May.

Gain in Spain: Magic circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised subsidiaries of Spanish energy conglomerate Repsol on setting up two Euro Commercial Paper loan programmes, worth €2.5bn (£2.2bn) in total. Linklaters advised Repsol subsidiary Gas Natural and magic circle firm Allen & Overy advised subsidiary Repsol YPF on the financing.

Money talks: Allen & Overy advised finance company Virgin Money on a £100m investment by US investment firm WL Ross & Co, equivalent to a 21% stake in Virgin Money. WL Ross was advised by US firm Jones Day.

Revving up: Freshfields advised German car manufacturer Daimler on setting up 3.1% cross-shareholdings between Daimler; French car manufacturer Renault, advised by US firm Sullivan & Cromwell; and Japanese car manufacturer Nissan, advised by Japanese firm Nishimura. The companies will co-build small passenger vehicles, electric cars and fuel-efficient engines.