Since century-old US firm Heller Ehrman dissolved last September, most of the partners and counsel in the firm’s Asia practice group have been snapped up by new entrants keen to expand their offices in the region.

Nixon Peabody became the latest firm to build its Asia practice by picking up seasoned lawyers formerly with Heller. Henry Liu, the former head of Heller Ehrman’s China desk in New York, has been appointed by the firm, as the chair of China practice, to play a leadership role in its China and Asia practice.

Liu, also a global finance partner, will split his time between Nixon’s New York and Shanghai office, the firm’s first Asia office launched in early 2008.

Prior to joining Heller, Liu had served as the general counsel and director-general at the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) and served as a managing director of investment banking at the US and global investment banks of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ) and Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB).

“Our clients around the world will benefit from Henry’s deep, first-hand and interdisciplinary experience with business, finance, and how rules and regulations work in China and Asia,” said Harry Trueheart, chairman of Nixon Peabody. “Our China and Asia practice will gain from his veteran knowledge of successful building and managing country practices in the past.”

Dechert, Winston & Strawn, Sidley Austin, Proskauer Rose and Eversheds were some of the others who appointed ex-Heller partners to expand or establish their Asia presence.

Winston & Strawn, for example, has hired Simon Luk, David Hall-Jones and Michael Phillips as partners in Hong Kong to set up its Hong Kong office, which will be formally affiliated with a local partnership encompassing these three new partners. The firm has also begun the process of formalising its presence in Beijing and Shanghai, with several legal professionals from Heller’s legacy offices in China.

 Where are they now?