International legal practice Osborne Clarke has bolstered its Bristol-based pensions practice with the recruitment of the pensions team from BDB Pitmans.

The team includes partners David Hosford and Chris Netiatis, plus three lawyers. These are legal director Lee Colgate and senior associates Catriona Darnell and Sarah Miller.

The team will add significantly to Osborne Clarke’s pensions capacity and its practice will now comprise seven partners, 20 lawyers and six specialist support staff. The pensions practice is headed by Bristol-based Jonathan Hazlett.

BDB Pitmans has opted to no longer operate an in-house pensions practice but will instead work with a small number of specialist firms when pensions advice is required, including Osborne Clarke.

The addition of the BDB Pitmans team fulfils one of Osborne Clarke's strategic objectives to build the size and experience of the pensions practice to strengthen its services to employers and trustees on all areas of pensions law and practice.

The new combined team will advise on all aspects of pensions law but will continue to focus on risk transfer work (including buy-ins and buy-outs as well as transfers to superfunds), Pension Protection Fund work, public sector pensions and pensions disputes for pension schemes, corporate clients and pension providers.

BDB Pitmans pensions clients will be able to transfer to Osborne Clarke. Osborne Clarke's existing pensions clients range from billion-pound schemes such as the Pension Protection Fund, the Local Government Pension Schemes, Imperial Tobacco and BAE Systems, to smaller schemes with assets of several million pounds.

Jonathan Hazlett, head of pensions at Osborne Clarke, said: “We've known David and Chris both professionally and personally for a number of years. We’re delighted they have decided to join Osborne Clarke.

“David, Chris and their team will add substantially to the size and expertise of our existing team here at Osborne Clarke and will allow us to better service our national and international clients and help them respond to the challenges, opportunities and transformation drivers that the pensions industry currently faces.”

David Hosford, head of pensions at BDB Pitmans, said: “We built our pensions practice at Pitmans and latterly BDB Pitmans with a dedication to excellent client service and value, and a focus on providing clear and robust advice that works in the real world.

“It has become increasingly clear that we need greater scale to be able to meet our goals and continue to develop the services we provide. We considered opportunities with various firms before deciding Osborne Clarke is the best fit - the team at Osborne Clarke shares our focus and values, and combining our resources brings scale, enhances an already market leading brand, and gives us the right platform to deliver ever better client service.”