Myanmar – Duane Morris and Selvam

March 8, 2021 by Duane Morris

Duane Morris & Selvam Statement on Myanmar Operations

SINGAPORE, MARCH 6, 2021—Duane Morris & Selvam issued the following statement in response to the on-going political uncertainty impacting Myanmar.

“We continue to carefully monitor the on-going situation throughout the country,” said Leon Yee, Chairman for Duane Morris & Selvam. “That said, we believe in the long-term future for the country and its economy, as well as for Duane Morris with our strong roots there. At this time, maintaining the on-going safety of our team and clients, and concern for the people of Myanmar, remains of our utmost priority.”

“Throughout the turmoil of the past weeks, our active and comprehensive counsel to clients in Myanmar and across Asia has remained firm and steadfast. We will always be here for our clients. The relationships our lawyers have established with business leaders in the region, as well as the operational and legal resources available to clients as a local office within Duane Morris’ robust global network, has positioned us well for continued seamless delivery of substantive legal counsel,” Mr. Yee continued.

He added further that lawyers and staff located in the Firm’s office in Yangon, Myanmar, are able to work both in the office as well as remotely, and that the Firm is accommodating in-office attendance consistent with local COVID-19 conditions.

About Duane Morris & Selvam

Duane Morris & Selvam LLP is the joint law venture between Duane Morris LLP and Selvam LLC, with its headquarters in Singapore. By way of its global platform and extensive range of legal services, the firm helps companies conduct business in and out of Asia, the United States, Latin America, the United Kingdom and beyond. In addition to the excellent skills of its lawyers, clients benefit from the cultural fluency and key relationships that the firm has developed over many years of practising law throughout the region. The firm has a presence in the key markets of Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as offices in Shanghai and Yangon. Supporting these regional offices, the firm operates a series of country desks for India, Indonesia, Korea and Japan, as well as an alliance in Sri Lanka. It is regularly ranked among the region’s leading law firms by Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500 and IFLR1000.

May 1, 2020June 11, 2020 by Duane Morris & Selvam

COVID-19 Pandemic: Relief Measures for Businesses in Myanmar

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Myanmar’s economy and businesses have seen a significant slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To curb with this slowdown, the Myanmar government has come out with various measures that are intended to provide relief to the affected businesses. The various relief measures implemented across the government ministries are as follows:

Financial Relief for Priority Sectors

The Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry (“MOPFI”) issued Notification No. 1/2020 on 18 March 2020 stating that businesses in the cut, make and pack sector, hotels, tourism companies, and small and medium enterprises (“Priority Sectors”) are entitled to the following reliefs:

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April 28, 2020May 14, 2020 by Duane Morris & Selvam

Validity of Electronic Signatures in Myanmar

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English Version | Chinese Version

The COVID-19 pandemic impacts all aspects of our daily lives. Government authorities around the world have imposed various measures to reduce physical contact among people, including travel bans and movement restrictions (i.e., stay-at-home orders). Nevertheless, business transactions can still be performed by electronic means, including electronic communication/transmission and execution by e-signature. Reflecting changing needs, Myanmar also allows electronic signature documents to be exhibited as evidence in its courts and recognizes the legal validity of electronic signatures inserted onto commercial documents. Still, questions remain about the validity of electronic signatures for important transactions.

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April 14, 2020May 14, 2020 by Duane Morris & Selvam

COVID-19 in Myanmar: Impact on Commercial Contracts and Employment

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English Version | Burmese Version | Chinese Version

The coronavirus outbreak is having a significant impact on the global economy and markets. As the coronavirus sweeps around the world, emerging and frontier countries like Myanmar face more challenges.

Since March 2020, the Myanmar government has introduced several immigration measures to reduce the transmission, including temporary suspension of issuing all types of visas and compulsory quarantine requirement for all travelers entering Myanmar. The Myanmar government also subsequently imposed a movement restriction requesting all residents to stay at home during the Thingyan festival (Myanmar New Year), in conjunction with the immigration measures.

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