Pictured: (l-r) Stuart Cutting, Nick Abell and Nathan Talbott from Wright Hassall

A Midland law firm has marked its entry into a new field with a first major signing.

Wright Hassall has launched Wright Sports Management, a full service management agency for professional athletes that will operate as a separate business while remaining wholly owned by Wright Hassall.

The operation involves using all the in house legal expertise at the Leamington based law firm and consultants within various sports.

The first singing is a professional footballer, 19-year-old Aston Villa midfielder Courtney Cameron.

Cameron joined Villa from Northampton in summer 2009 for £35,000 after being spotted as a standout performer in the Cobblers' youth set up.

He will now benefit from the knowledge of Wright Hassall's three-man team, made up of partners Nick Abell and Stuart Cutting and solicitor Nathan Talbott - as well as contributions from ex-professional footballers.

Talbott, who himself started as a professional at Wolverhampton Wanderers prior to playing at a semi-professional level, feels this is an exciting development for the firm and is looking forward to growing this new project over the coming year.

He said: "We have always had strong connections in sport and done quite a large amount of work across different sports, so this is a natural progression. The wheels were set in motion early last year and Wright Sports Management is the result.

"We have since been liaising with ex-professional footballers and other people within sport to gain an insight into the business side of it all.

"It is a complete management service on a transparent basis and this year we will be looking to increase the size of the business.

"Wright Hassall is very highly regarded in the legal and professional community and we will be applying those standards to sports management. 

"We can cut out the middle man and advise on a range of issues. Agents often have to go to solicitors for advice from a legal point of view, whereas we can keep everything in-house.

"We are confident now our portfolio will grow across more sports and that Courtney will be the first of many to benefit from the new company."

For more information on Wright Sports Management call 01926 886688.

For more information about Wright Hassall, please visit their website here: www.wrighthassall.co.uk