Allen & Gledhill (A&G), one of Singapore's big four law firms, has set up a base in Myanmar.

A&G has formed an associate firm, Allen & Gledhill (Myanmar), and opened an office in commercial centre Yangon led by arbitration partner Minn Naing Oo, who is fluent in English, Burmese and Malay.

Oo was previously the CEO of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, and before that, a director at the Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore.

The office opening follows a similar step by A&G into Laos last year, when it formed an associate firm in Vientiane. 

In a statement it said it wanted to grow its regional presence to further strengthen its capabilities and meet the needs of its clients.

The moves are significant for A&G, which has historically taken a conservative approach to geographical expansion. It previously only had one office in Singapore in addition to an association in Malaysia with Rahmat Lim & Partners.

It comes as a number of international and smaller outfits look to Myanmar for new mandates amid a series of far-reaching political reforms that have stirred investor interest in the country.

Baker & McKenzie also opened in country this month, following in the footsteps of 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 has also said it plans to open in Yangon in the spring of this year.

Of the big four Singapore outfits, only Rajah & Tann has so far entered Myanmar, forming an alliance with local firm NK Legal in January 2013.

International firms have been slower, with only Bakers and Duane Morris Selvam taking the leap. Many have cited problems with recruitment of qualified, local lawyers.

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