Baker & McKenzie has become the latest international law firm to open in Myanmar.

The US outfit, which has been mulling a launch in the country for some time, has opened its new base in the former capital and commercial centre Yangon, with a team being led by former Sydney-based infrastructure and corporate partner Chris Hughes.

The office is the 16th for Baker & McKenzie in Asia Pacific, and comes less than a year after the firm opened in South Korean capital Seoul.

It will focus on energy, mining and infrastructure; information technology and telecommunications; consumer goods, corporate transactions and IP. A team of local lawyers on the ground will supported by partners in Singapore and Sydney.

The launch was approved at the firm's annual Asia Pacific meeting, held this year in Tokyo and attended by more than 300 partners.

"Entering new markets, especially frontier, high-growth markets, is challenging," said Hughes.

"With our local knowledge and global experience and resources, we are well placed to serve the expanded base of international and Asian companies that are eager to invest in Myanmar. We are here for the long haul and look forward to working with Myanmar institutions, officials and regulators to lend our support to the country's transition."

Baker & McKenzie is among a string of firms to have taken an interest in Myanmar in the last year.

Since 2012 the firm has been advising both multinationals and Asian conglomerates on their inbound investment into the country from the firm's Myanmar desk in Bangkok, where it has also been training five local Myanmar lawyers to handle a mix of transactional, advisory and intellectual property (IP) work.

Other firms to have opened in the country include Singapore outfit Rajah & Tann which formed an alliance with Myanmar law firm NK Legal in January last year, Japanese law firm Nishimura and Asahi, which opened in May, Duane Morris Selvam, which launched in September and London IP firm Rouse, which set up in November.

Japanese law firm Mori Hamada & Matsumoto said last month it also planned to open in Yangon in the spring of this year.

International firms however have been slow to make a move into the country. So far Duane Morris Selvam and Bakers and the only global outfits to have a presence on the ground.

Others to have expressed interest in the market include Herbert Smith Freehills, Allen & Overy, Hogan Lovells, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Watson Farley & Williams and Berwin Leighton Paisner.