INDEPENDENT FIRM OF THE YEAR – SOUTH AND MIDLANDS 2018

WigginWINNER

With excellent financials, an acquisition of IP law firm Redd and expansion in London, 2017-18 was a standout year for media and IP specialist Wiggin. It built on a strong previous financial year with revenues up by 21.5 per cent and revenue per lawyer increasing by 11 per cent. Based originally in Cheltenham, it now has over 62 staff in London and punches well above its weight with clients all over the globe: they include Vodafone, William Hill, Marvel TV, Inmotion (Jaguar Landrover) and Addison Global. The firm has diversified its interests and has invested or cofounded a variety of ventures. These include Incopro, a tech busiess that tracks and enforces against IP infringement; Reviewed and Cleared, a content clearance service that uses fixed fees; Viewfinder, an executive producing service in which pricing works on a percentage basis, either of production budget or net receipts; and Cirkus and Curio, which helps clients expand into digital media. The judges praised Wiggin’s ‘solid and impressive’ efforts to ‘forge ahead, grow and distinguish itself in a crowded market’ and its ‘good use of technology and strong strategic vision’.

Highly Commended: Memery Crystal

Best known for its stellar AIM practice, Memery Crystal has also built a strong reputation in the natural resources, media and real estate sectors, in both contentious and non-contentious work. ‘An independent firm that is evidently doing it right,’ said the judges.

Commended: asb law

Asb law has undergone a transformation over the last few years. Having rejected the billable hour, it has garnered a wide variety of clients who have been attracted by its tech-focused approach. A strong year was topped by its inclusion on BT’s roster. The judges commended the firm’s ‘highly impressive, progressive approach’, calling it ‘exciting and innovative’.