John Banister

Wiggin

Under CEO John Banister’s leadership, Wiggin has doubled revenue and partner numbers and consolidated its rising position in the UK top 100, now ranking 93rd.

It is Banister’s second time in the Hot 100, having made the cut in 2013 for spearheading the rapid expansion of the business amid an economic recession. Once again, he has performed in an uncertain climate. The lockdown sparked by Covid-19 halted the productions of most of the film and TV studios that form Wiggin’s clientele; still, Banister encouraged lawyers to help clients with contractual issues around employment and other matters. When filming resumed, they assisted them with setting up safe environments to produce content.

In 2020, he invested in the hire of Shepherd & Wedderburn partner Gordon Moir to lead a new telecoms team and on the £2m purchase of a computer games law firm, Purewal & Partners, to broaden its tech offering. Just in time for Brexit, Wiggin saw the addition of a new team from a Belgian law firm into its Brussels outpost to expand IP capabilities on the Continent.

The fact that he is not a lawyer might be Banister’s biggest asset; he is constantly looking to expand Wiggin’s capabilities beyond law. In 2021, he will invest a £5m pot in the creation of new separate business lines scoped out by a new research team, adding to the existing six consulting and tech development companies set up by the firm over the years.