Duane Morris & Selvam (Myanmar) Limited

The firm: Duane Morris & Selvam (Myanmar) Limited is the Yangon office of Duane Morris & Selvam LLP, a joint law venture between US-based Duane Morris LLP and Singapore-based Selvam LLC. The office opened in September 2013 upon the personal invitation of the Attorney General of Myanmar to encourage foreign direct investment and modernisation of the legal profession. Duane Morris & Selvam (Myanmar) is the only foreign law firm to have been awarded the Distinguished Service to Myanmar Award from the Attorney General. This was awarded in recognition of the firm’s lawyers’ assistance to the Myanmar Government in dispute resolution and transactional matters.

The firm provides on-the-ground practical commercial counsel to foreign and domestic businesses seeking to seize opportunities while minimising inherent risks in the dynamic emerging market of Myanmar. The Yangon office advises on all aspects of Myanmar and international law in relation to market entry, foreign direct investment, general corporate law, licensing, franchising, corporate finance, capital markets, energy and projects, dispute resolution, real estate, and employment matters. Lawyers have a high degree of industry knowledge across a range of industries including oil and gas, renewable energy, telecommunications, media and technology, financial services, real estate, infrastructure, private equity, manufacturing, leisure and hospitality, charities, fast moving consumer goods, franchising, and distribution.

The firm’s lawyers are both locally and internationally qualified. Many of them are ex-judicial officers including the retired Attorney General of the Union, who serves as an adviser to the firm. No other international firm is as integrated and knowledgeable about how to get things done in Myanmar. The firm benefits from over a decade’s experience dealing with Myanmar matters, relying on additional support from the firm’s 900 lawyers based in 30 offices around the globe.

Main areas of practice
General corporate and M&A: The firm advises local and international clients on all forms of general commercial matters involved in market entry, the pursuit of business opportunities in Myanmar, and regional expansion. This includes company set up and licensing and registration. The firm also undertakes extensive due diligence in relation to M&A.

Capital markets: Lawyers provide a comprehensive range of services to assist clients with their listings and issues, from the initial restructuring of companies to seeking relevant approvals from the Yangon Stock Exchange. They have performed a wide range of complex transactions and have significant experience representing issuers, underwriters, placement agents, investment banks and investors in public and private offerings. The firm acted for First Myanmar Investment Co Ltd in the historic first listing on the Yangon Stock Exchange in March 2016.

Energy and projects: The team consists of foreign and international lawyers, who are specialists in oil and gas projects, including downstream, upstream, and midstream projects, regulatory and licensing matters, foreign investment, land, employment, import/export, joint ventures, and contractual arrangements connected with energy projects and operations throughout Asia. The team has advised multinational corporations, national energy regulators and government-owned utilities, working on many significant international energy matters, including the Myingyan Power Project, one of Myanmar’s largest gas-fired power plants. The team has considerable experience in providing legal support and advice to clients from the pre-feasibility and planning stages, through public tender, licensing, start-up and implementation, as well as the operational stages.

China practice: Lawyers focus on assisting Chinese corporations with a range of investment and transactional services relating to Myanmar Foreign Direct Investment.