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Granada Media of the UK has acquired United News and Media's ITV interests – television companies Meridian, Anglia and HTV – as well as programme production and international distribution businesses for £1.75 billion ($2.75 billion) in cash and stock. The move enables Granada to play a major role in ITV – the UK's most watched television channel – strengthening its position in UK broadcasting, content creation, pay TV and broadband.

US food manufacturer General Mills has merged with Pillsbury in a deal worth $10.5 billion. The deal will yield the owners of Pillsbury – UK spirits and beer company Diageo – an estimated $4.5 billion and a 33% share in the merged company, which will be the fifth-largest food company in the world.

Singapore’s decision to liberalize legal services could create a premier league of firms in the island republic

The boards of the UK's Barclays and Woolwich have reached an agreement on Barclay's offer for Woolwich in a deal worth £5.4 billion ($8 billion). The union will bring together two leading and complementary financial services businesses in the UK and increase the enlarged Barclays Group's presence in the mortgage market.

Thomas Glynn Thomas Glynn, formerly a partner at Battle Fowler, has joined Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen in New York as partner. Glynn says his decision to leave Battle Fowler in June was prompted by its upcoming merger with Paul Hastings. He approached Wolf, Block at a time when they were actively recruiting senior tax advisers for the expansion of the New York office, and was impressed by the "vision of leadership and the character of integrity of the partners". He is particularly attracted by the breadth of work he will be undertaking, especially the challenges of predicting the changing rules of e-commerce. Glynn brings with him expertise across areas as diverse as complex mergers and acquisitions; corporate, municipal and real estate finance; public and private investment funds development; and corporate and real estate acquisitions, joint ventures and dispositions. At Wolf, Block he will concentrate on communications law, in particular the hi-tech aspects of real estate and internet incubator funds.

European law firm Eversheds and Asian firm Khattar Wong have announced a strategic alliance which will allow both firms to take advantage of Singapore's increasingly important position as a financial centre.

Ashurst Morris Crisp

Baker & McKenzie opens office in Guadalajara

Michael Wiley Michael Wiley, partner in charge at Mallesons Stephen Jacques in Sydney, is leaving the firm after 22 years because he no longer enjoys practising tax. Ian Stanley has filled his role as tax partner, while Belinda Gibson is replacing him as partner in charge. Of his 22 years with Mallesons, one of Australia's principal tax firms, Wiley spent 15 as partner. According to Belinda Gibson, he has been instrumental in building up the firm's tax expertise throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and his exceptional technical knowledge and lateral thinking helped attract many major deals and new products. While his reputation remains untarnished, he believes that the increase in legislative changes prevent him from doing his job properly.

Ford cars has acquired Land Rover from German manufacturers BMW for Euro3 billion ($2.7 billion). Richard Ballard and Robert Kent of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer provided tax advice for Ford on the deal, while BMW turned to Isla Smith and John Challoner of Norton Rose.