Maurice Watkins CBE was one of the world's leading sports lawyers and sports administrators, a long-time director of Manchester United and the club solicitor. He was the Senior Partner and Head of Sport at Brabners LLP, the Chair of British Swimming - overseeing Team GB's successes in the Rio de Janeiro (2016) and Tokyo (2020) Olympics, Chair of the British Basketball Federation and a director of Lancashire County Cricket Club. Away from sport, Maurice Watkins was the Chair of Governors at his former school, The Manchester Grammar School, and Chair of the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital charity appeals board where he helped raise £68 million for the NHS. He was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire in Queen Elizabeth II's Birthday Honours 2011 for services to charity. He died on 16 August 2021 aged 79.