Iain Wagstaff, Linklaters

Lawyers across the industry have paid homage to renowned Magic Circle corporate partner Iain Wagstaff, who died last weekend in a cycling accident. 

Former colleague Ian Bagshaw, who had been a partner with Wagstaff at Linklaters, told Legal Week: "Iain was a real star of his generation. He was great to work with and he was a great leader of his team at Linklaters." 

After Bagshaw's brother passed away seven years ago, he said that Wagstaff was a great support.

Another former Linklaters colleague told Legal Week: "Iain was a very nice, friendly and collegiate guy, who was funny and good company and everybody liked him."

Wagstaff started his career at Linklaters as a trainee in 1999, after graduating from the University of Nottingham.

He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming an associate in 2001, a managing associate in 2005 and eventually a partner in 2010. During that time, Wagstaff undertook secondments at Goldman Sachs International and Citigroup, according to Legal 500.

Across the years, Iain worked with a wide array of industry leaders, specialising in public and private M&A, secondary capital raisings and joint ventures.

Early work as a junior partner included working with Bagshaw on RBS's £925 million sale of Priory Group to Advent International in 2011, and GDF Suez on its $9.5bn bid for 30% of International Power the following year.

He developed a strong reputation as a dealmaker across the industry during his career. Standout deals included advising shopping centre owner Intu on its £3.4bn acquisition by rival Hammerson in 2017. The same year, he advised on the £100m takeover bid for Revolution Bars Group by Stonegate Pub Company.

Wagstaff was also a renowned IPO adviser, assisting on floats for Investec, Biffa, Aldermore, CMC Markets, Card Factory, Manx Telecom and Just Eat. 

His last reported deal was acting for TDR Capital on its blockbuster £1.9 billion buyout offer for car auctioneer BCA Marketplace earlier this year.  

Other Magic Circle partners have also paid their respects.

"He was a very nice and sensible guy. It's a huge loss and a real tragedy for his family and for Linklaters. I always thought of him very highly," said a corporate partner at Slaughter and May.

"Iain was a very respected individual in the legal community," one partner at Freshfields added. 

Leading tributes from within Linklaters, senior partner Charlie Jacobs praised Wagstaff as "a partner, friend and admired colleague at the firm".

"Iain was an exceptional lawyer and a great friend to me and so many others. He will be very greatly missed."

Wagstaff passed away on August 31, aged 44. He is survived by his wife and two children.