Winston set for Asia launch with Heller hires

The US firm has confirmed it is to open in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai after hiring the defunct San Francisco firm's former Hong Kong managing partner Simon Luk.

Luk, who will lead the firm's practice in Asia, is joined by litigation partner David Hall-Jones and capital markets and M&A partner Michael Phillips. Luk's practice focuses on M&A, funds formation and advising emerging companies.

The group joins along with one of counsel and three associates who were also with Heller in Hong Kong.

Winston has also added four international trade partners in the US from Heller with William Barringer, Daniel Porter, Christopher Dunn and James Durling all joining the Washington DC office.

Winston's managing partner Tom Fitzgerald said: "This is a strong team of sophisticated lawyers who bring added quality and breadth to our international transactional and litigation abilities."

In total the firm has hired eight partners that were with Heller, last week announcing the hire of San Francisco environmental litigation partner Joseph Armao.

Other firms to hire groups of people from the dissolved firm have included Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, Cooley Goodward Kronish and Arnold & Porter. Meanwhile, Boston-based Goodwin Procter is set to open in the City after picking up around a dozen of Heller's lawyers last month.