Watson Farley & Williams has taken a step to rebuild its aviation finance practice after several heavyweight departures earlier this year.

The firm has hired Bird & Bird partner Jim Bell to its City base, in a move that boosts partner headcount in its London aviation practice to five.

Bell joined Bird & Bird in 2016 as a partner from Allen & Overy, where he was a senior associate. He has significant experience in advising financiers, lessors and operators on all aspects of asset finance and leasing.

Watson Farley managing partner Chris Lowe said: "Aviation has been one of the firm's core areas of expertise since its foundation in 1982, and Jim joining us enhances our practice as it expands to take advantage of the opportunities represented by a dynamic aviation sector."

Bell's hire comes several months after Watson Farley aviation head Rex Rosales led a four-partner team departure to Herbert Smith Freehills. Rosales, who had been at the firm since 2010 after joining from Reed Smith, joined alongside fellow City aviation partner Jahnavi Ramachandran and Singapore partner duo Siva Subramaniam and Samuel Kolehmainen.

Watson Farley added to its ranks prior to that team departure, with the hire of Norton Rose Fulbright of counsel Jonathan Mullender as an aviation finance partner in its Munich office.