Dechert has launched in Kazakhstan with the hire of Chadbourne & Parke's entire local team in the commercial capital of Almaty.

Corporate partner Ken Mack leads the four-partner energy-focused team, which includes fellow corporate partner Victor Mokrousov, commercial partner Sergei Vataev and litigation partner Mukhit Yeleuov, as well as seven associates.

Dechert chief executive officer Daniel O'Donnell described the region as "increasingly important" to the firm's strategy and expansion, saying: "Ken and his team are dynamic and entrepreneurial lawyers whose practice enjoys strong ties and synergies with our Moscow office and our practices in Central Asia and China."

The team's departure leaves US firm Chadbourne without a presence in the country, but managing partner Andrew Giaccia said the development is "not inconsistent with our strategic vision".

"In the last few years we began shifting our resources to our offices in other markets with greater potential for us and expanding into other high growth markets, as evidenced by our recent opening of offices in Brazil and Turkey," he continued.

Mack and his team have recently represented a consortium of six major oil companies – including ExxonMobil, Shell and Total – in a deal to develop the oil exporting Kazakhstan Caspian Transportation System, while they have also acted as lead counsel for China National Petroleum Corporation on the $1.3bn (£810m) sale of shares to state-owned oil and gas company KazMunayGas.

The news comes shortly after Howard Kennedy spin-off Burlingtons Legal launched in the country via a joint venture with a local client to form Burlingtons Kazakhstan LLP.

Baker & McKenzie, Magisters and Curtis Mallet-Prevost Colt & Mosle also have a presence in the region, focusing principally on energy and infrastructure.