Irwin Mitchell and Eversheds have picked up lead roles on the transfer of 21 care homes caught up in the collapse of Southern Cross.

Prestbury Investment Holdings, the owner of 21 properties operated by Southern Cross, has transferred the leases for 14 of its care homes to charitable care provider Methodist Homes and seven further homes to learning disability charity Royal Mencap.

Irwin Mitchell was instructed in August by Prestbury and fielded a team led by London real estate partners Jo Footitt and Lewis Myers.

Eversheds acted for Royal Mencap with a Cardiff-based team led by corporate partner Paul Pugh and employment partner Huw Rolant Jones.

Meanwhile, Birmingham-based law firm Anthony Collins Solicitors acted for Methodist Homes with a team led by corporate partner John Wearing.

Southern Cross, which ceased trading in July amid difficulties in paying a multimillion-pound rent bill, sold the homes to Prestbury in 2005 as part of a sale and leaseback agreement.

Myers commented: "It was imperative to keep the homes operational for the sake of their residents. We had to act swiftly to secure the future of these homes and deal with people's worries."

Southern Cross, the UK's biggest care home company, with 752 homes, has transferred more than 250 of its homes to new operators. The company said last month that it had business purchase agreements covering approximately 70% of the group's remaining homes.

A raft of firms have picked up roles related to Southern Cross' collapse, including Clifford Chance, Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.