Pinsent Masons has boosted its City sports practice with the hire of a senior partner from Clarke Willmott.

Trevor Watkins is set to join the UK top 20 firm next month as head of its sports group. He joins from Clarke Willmott's Southampton office, bringing with him a team of one senior associate and two solicitors.

Watkins, who has been at Clarke Willmott in 2002, also heads up the firm's international work in North America.

Notable roles he has taken in recent years include acting on the 2009 administration of Southampton Football Club's parent company and Japanese investor Kabushiki Kaisha K&K Shonan Management's 2008 purchase of a stake in Plymouth Argyle Football Club.

Pinsents retail and leisure head Tom Lehman commented: "Sport is an increasingly important part of the business the firm does. Trevor's arrival will strengthen the offering to our clients and similarly broaden the support that his existing clients and contacts receive."

Clarke Willmott sports sector head Kevin Jones added: "We would like to thank Trevor for all his hard work and contribution in building a very strong team, which is regarded as a leading provider of national and international legal services to the sports sector."

The news comes after the southwest firm sold its investment management business to AIM-listed wealth management group Brooks Macdonald Group last month in a deal worth up to £6m.

The deal will see the Clarke Willmott team's eight staff – comprising five investment managers and three support staff – move over to Brooks Macdonald from 31 October.