Dentons has launched a Myanmar office by acquiring a seven-strong local team led by partner Mark Livingston.

Livingston and his team of lawyers and staff join from his own law firm, Livingstons Legal, in Yangon.

The team has relocated to the new office of Dentons Myanmar, the Yangon-based subsidiary of Denton's Singapore branch, Dentons Rodyk.

Before launching his own firm, Livingston served as in-house counsel to Australian miner OceanaGold and Singapore-based Archipelago Resources.

Singapore chief executive Philip Jeyaretnam said: "Myanmar is a major opportunity for business growth in the next five years. Our new team in Yangon will expand our capabilities to provide in-depth legal advice to clients who seek to establish and grow their businesses in Myanmar." 

Elswehere in Asia-Pacific, Dentons has offices in China, Singapore, Australia, Korea, Mongolia and Papua New Guinea.

Last week, the 8,000-lawyer firm also announced an opening in Peru through a proposed combination with local firm Gallo Barrios Pickmann.

Several Asian law firms have already entered Myanmar. They include: Singapore's Allen & Gledhill, Japan's Mori Hamada & Matsumoto, and Korea's Kim & Lee, which have all opened Yangon offices.

UK firms present in the country include Berwin Leighton Paisner since 2015 and Allen & Overy since 2014.

Baker McKenzie also launched there in 2014.

In addition, Stephenson Harwood is preparing to launch an office in Myanmar later this year, after ending its alliance with local firm U Tin Yu & Associates. The alliance, first formed in 2013, came to an end in June 2016 by mutual agreement.

International law firm interest in Myanmar has grown since the country began far-reaching political reforms in 2011, including a foreign investment law allowing foreigners to own 100% of their business, approved by President Thein Sein in 2012.