International legal practice Osborne Clarke has advised Flock, a London-based startup pioneering the use of real-time data in insurance, on its £2.25M seed funding round. The round was led by Anthemis, a VC focused on Fintech and Insurtech investments. Other investors included Silicon Valley’s Plug and Play, Seed and Speed, and re-investors London VC Downing Ventures, along with a number of angel investors.

Flock will use the money raised to launch its drone insurance platform internationally, as well as expand its London tech team.

King & Wood Mallesons’ cross-border team advised Weichai Power ("Weichai") one of China’s leading automobile and equipment manufacturing companies, with a market capitalization around ¥ 85 billion, producing 600,000 engines per year, on its entering into equity investment and framework agreements with AIM listed Ceres Power, a world leading developer of fuel cell technology including its unique patented SteelCell® technology.

King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has advised the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Westpac Banking Corporation and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation on the $113 million debt facility to design, construct and operate the 135 MW Crudine Ridge Wind Farm near Mudgee in NSW.

The Crudine Ridge Wind Farm is being developed by CWP Renewables (CWP) and Partners Group (PG) under their new Grassroots Renewable Energy Platform and has a partial Power Purchase Agreement with Meridian Energy. GE and Zenviron will construct the project installing 37 GE 3.63 MW wind turbine generators.

National law firm Shoosmiths has advised the Warrens Group - the UK market leader in baked goods logistics - on all real estate aspects relating to a joint venture with Culina Group.

Culina Group is actively expanding its ambient logistics business and the joint venture with Warrens Group, means Culina Group has strengthened its market position in the bread, cake and patisserie services marketplace across the UK. Culina Group will continue develop relationships with Tesco and Sainsbury's, long established major clients of Warrens Group.

Travers Smith LLP has advised longstanding client Kester Capital LLP ("Kester") on the acquisition of Jollyes Retail Group Limited ("Jollyes") by a newco backed by Kester.

Travers Smith LLP has advised longstanding client Bridgepoint and management on the sale of Pret A Manger ("Pret"), a leading company in the ready-to-eat food market, to JAB, a global investment firm with a proven track record of investing in premium brands.

Travers Smith LLP has advised the shareholders of Loveholidays on its sale to Livingbridge for an undisclosed sum.

Loveholidays is a short-haul beach holiday provider, and the fastest-growing online travel agent in the UK.  It allows customers to create bespoke holidays through 'discovery search', allowing customers to select a holiday based on filters that matter to them, rather than location and date only.  The company was founded by Alex Francis and Jonny Marsh in 2012 and now employs a team of 140 people.

Gowling WLG has advised venture capital company Draper Esprit on its £115m fundraising by way of a placing and subscription of new shares.

The AIM-quoted company is one of the leading venture capital investors involved in the creation, funding and development of disruptive high-growth technology businesses in Europe.

Gowling WLG has advised Draper Esprit since its AIM and ESM admission in June 2016. Since floating two years ago, Draper Esprit has funded 25 new businesses and grown its portfolio valuation by more than 200 per cent.

Ashurst advised Grammer AG, a global supplier of automotive interior components and a leading producer of seating systems for commercial vehicles, on the acquisition of Toledo Molding & Die Inc. (TMD), based in Toledo, Ohio (USA). The TMD Group is a specialist in the development and production of thermoplastic products and applications mainly for vehicle interiors for the automotive and automotive supply industry.

Charles Russell Speechlys has advised the Civica Group (an investee company of Partners Group) on the acquisition of master data management specialists, VisionWare Limited (VisionWare).