This story has been updated to clarify the terms of a GE deal.

In February, Mark Nordstrom took a four-day trip to Myanmar. As a senior counsel for General ­Electric Company who specializes in labor and employment law, he has global responsibility for legal aspects of its human resources policies. And since last June, when the United States and the International Labor Organization (ILO) lifted some sanctions against the country—after its long-entrenched military dictatorship adopted democratic reforms—GE has been planning to do business there.