Philippines Law Firm Awards

Established in 1974 by Antonio Agcaoili and Alfonso Agcaoili, Agcaoili & Associates is a comprehensive law practice specialising in aviation, and aircraft finance and leasing, among others. The law firm also acts as correspondent counsel for various law firms in the US, Europe and Asia.

Managing partner Jose Luis Agcaoili leads a team of three partners, a senior associate and two associate attorneys.

Ocampo Manalo Valdez & Lim is a full-service law firm headed by Carlos Ocampo and Manolito Manalo. Ocampo is credited for his role in deregulating the Philippine aviation industry in the early 1990s, when he secured several franchises for new airline operators, while Manalo is renowned in dispute resolution, aviation and real estate.

The law firm has extended its regional reach through formal affiliation with Malaysian law firm Jeff Leon Poon & Wong, with a Southeast Asia network including Myanmar, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam. It is also a member of LAWASIA, a regional association of lawyers, judges, jurists and legal organisations, as well as the non-profit Asian Business Aviation Association.

Founded in 1987, Picazo Buyco Tan Fider & Santos (Picazo Law) is one of the most respected firms in the country, recognised for its capital markets and banking and finance practices. From humble beginnings with 16 lawyers, the firm has grown to 32 partners, three special counsel, and 14 senior associates and associates.

While especially sought after for its expertise in capital markets, M&A, private equity and venture capital, banking and finance, and real estate, the firm also has strong IP, litigation, tax, labour, immigration, gaming and energy practices.

The law firm’s clients include some of the biggest international investment banks, as well as domestic and international conglomerates including HSBC, Citibank, Goldman Sachs, BNP Paribas, ANZ Bank, Deutsche Bank, Asian Development Bank, Standard Chartered, San Miguel, Jardine Group, Lippo Group and many more.

C&G Law was founded as Caguioa & Gatmaytan in 2007 by Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Jaime Renato Gatmaytan, Ben Dominic Yap, Norma Margarita Patacsil, Anthony Mark Gutierrez, and Jesus Paolo Protacio. Following Caguioa’s withdrawal from partnership on being appointed chief presidential legal counsel to former Philippines president Benigno Aquino III in 2013, the law firm’s name changed to Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio, but still continues under the popularly known name of C&G Law.

Managing partner Yap, one of the founders, currently leads the full-service law firm of more than 40 lawyers, which has been actively advising local and foreign clients on competition law concerns and related regulatory matters. Prominent clients have included Jollibee Food Corporation, Cargill Philippines and leading Swedish conglomerate Altor. The firm is also a member of Southeast Asia’s largest legal network, Rajah & Tann Asia.

Villaraza & Angangco (V&A Law) was founded in 1980 by former Supreme Court justices Antonio Carpio and Arthur Villaraza, and has a formidable reputation for its corporate and commercial law practice.

Since 2016, Alejandro Navarro has served as managing partner and Augusto San Pedro Jr as co-managing partner, with Villaraza as chairman and CEO. The firm currently has 20 partners, two newly promoted in 2022, with the support of 24 senior associates and 10 associates.

Founded in 2000, Disini & Disini provides a full range of legal support and services in foreign investment, technology, corporate practice and litigation. Managing partner JJ Disini leads the firm including two senior partners, a junior partner and eight associates.

From time to time, Disini & Disini assists clients on data breach incidents, reporting and management, a relatively new field in the Philippines with few legal cases on cybercrime and data, making it challenging for a law practice. Through cases they handle, the law firm aims to set precedents and standards in the protection of digital rights.

The law firm has also substantially contributed to Philippine and regional data privacy developments, conducting various seminars and webinars on digital transformation. Several of its lawyers are lecturers at the University of the Philippines Open University on its data privacy officer certification courses.

Established in 2006 by managing partner Nilo Divina, DivinaLaw operates with the value of dynamic lawyering, which means prompt, proactive and result-oriented. The firm offers depth and range of experience and resources while fostering a professional and collaborative work ethic.

Among 2022 highlights, the firm advised a technology company providing infrastructure for the no-contact apprehension programme (capturing traffic violations without physical apprehension) for local government units and the Metro Manila Development Authority. The law firm also regularly issues legal opinions and prepares all data breach reports and data security incidents ensuring its clients comply with all existing regulations, especially the required 72-hour notification to the regulator for all covered incidents.

DivinaLaw is additionally the sole Philippine member of Lawyers Associated Worldwide, a top-rated international association of more than 100 independent law firms from more than 50 countries.

Puyat Jacinto & Santos Law Offices (PJS Law) was established by the late David Puyat, with Regina Jacinto-Barrientos and Roy Enrico Santos, in 1997. From modest beginnings, the law firm continues to grow with 20 partners, five senior associates and 15 associates, all led for more than a decade by managing partner Jacinto-Barrientos.

The law firm has a well-deserved reputation for its energy and infrastructure practice. In the past 12 months, it acted as transactional counsel assisting Spanish clean energy developer Iberdrola to expand its offshore wind activities in the Philippines. These project sites located in shallow waters off the coasts of Luzon and the Visayas island groups, are the first offshore wind service concessions awarded in the country.

The law firm also assisted project financing from the state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines and other financial institutions to Japanese renewable energy Renova for a 17.4MW hydropower project in Ifugao province.

Puno and Puno Law Offices (PunoLaw) was established by the late Ricardo Puno Sr after stepping down as former Minister of Justice in the Philippines in 1984, together with his eldest son, the late Ricardo Puno Jr. The firm is now led by his youngest son, Roderico V Puno as managing partner.

Recently, PunoLaw assisted the subsidiaries of Philippine renewable energy companies PH Renewables and CACI Power Corporation in drafting and negotiation for an omnibus loan and security agreement with Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation for PHP2.65 billion.

Insights Philippines was established in 2017 by managing partner Felix Sy, and within five years has built a reputation by handling several outstanding deals. These have included advising on one of the largest global Canada-based insurance conglomerates on structuring its insurance brokerage arrangement to comply with Philippine insurance laws and regulations.

A member of the ZICO Law network, the firm recently provided advisory and consultancy on a regular basis to Manufacturers Life Insurance on the Philippine legal environment for the insurance industry, particularly on possible foreign equity restrictions, business concerns, licensing requirements, general tax laws and data privacy laws.

Sarmiento Loriega Law Office (SL Law) was established in 2020, with founding partners Julito Sarmiento and Elizabeth Perralta-Loriega bringing decades of local and global knowledge and experience in various practice areas. The full-service law firm now has three senior partners, one of counsel, seven senior associates and seven associates.

SL Law provides a cost-effective and total solutions approach, guided by the law firm’s standards of excellence. The law firm is experienced in assisting and representing clients in the settlement of coverage claims and disputes in insurance matters, as well as regulatory compliance for insurance transactions, and issues affecting both lender and borrower in project finance deals.

Vasig Abarquez Lumauig Law Offices (VAL Law) opened its office in 2017. Founding partners Elyrhey Cesar Vasig, Paolo Abarquez and Timothy Joseph Lumauig lead the five-partner firm with the support of six associates.

Recently, the law firm advised Philippine insurtech company Maria Health on becoming the first insurance web aggregator recognised by the Insurance Commission in the Philippines, assisting with contractual relations and regulatory compliance, as well as closing a million-dollar fundraising round.

Federis & Associates continually evolves along with the field of intellectual property (IP). Led by managing partner Mila Federis, the boutique IP law firm consistently ranks as one of the top trademark and patent filers in the country and scored big wins for clients before the Intellectual Property Office and Supreme Court of the Philippines.

For more than 30 years, the firm has served as the go-to firm for global brands and large corporations, with cornerstone cases that include winning significant decisions in Philippine courts for clients such as Philips, Universal, Yahoo!, Marlboro and many more.

Established in 2006, Hechanova Group is primarily an IP-focused law firm with a very strong IP law practice dealing with contentious issues, strengthened by partners and principals Editha Hechanova, Brenda Rivera, Noemi Rivera, Gladys Vilchez, Chrissie Ann Barredo and Joy Marie Gabor-Tolentino. Starting from four lawyers when first founded, the firm now employs 54 law professionals.

The law firm was last year recognised by the IP Office of the Philippines as top patent filer in the country from 2017 to 2021.

Poblador Bautista & Reyeswas founded in 1994 by Alexander Poblador, Mario Luza Bautista and Gilbert Raymund Reyes. The general practice and full-service law firm has four departments: litigation and arbitration; corporate, tax and special projects; industrial and IP; and employment and immigration. Today, the law firm has 15 partners including six senior partners, eight senior associates and 14 junior associates.

Since its inception, Poblador Bautista & Reyes has been known primarily for litigation and trial work, with extensive experience in all fields of dispute resolution. The firm has handled several major dispute cases involving public bidding, privatisation, real estate disputes, consumer claims, damages and breach of contract. Its roster of clients includes San Miguel Global Power, Intel, Levi Strauss, Cathay Pacific, ISS Facility Services Philippines, Trek Bicycle and Petron.

Gulapa Law started as a boutique law firm with six lawyers in 2015, established by founding partner Aris Gulapa. With expertise in private equity and venture capital, it has expanded aggressively across borders, becoming the first Philippine-based law firm to set up a presence in New York City through its affiliate, Gulapa & Baclay, followed by a representative office in San Francisco in 2018.

Gulapa Law has been assisting and advising clients to facilitate investment into their venture companies or make investments into creative pursuits. Recently the firm assisted Manila-based private equity firm MFT Group on financing modes, particularly in lending regulations and taxes payable on foreign loans, as well as drafting definitive and non-disclosure agreements, which involve careful consideration due to the complexity of Philippine and US law.

Fortun Narvasa & Salazar was formed in 1993 by senior partners Philip Sigfrid Fortun, Gregorio Narvasa II, and Roderick Salazar, providing general legal services to local and international clients. After experiencing a decrease in junior associates in the pandemic, the firm is back in full swing, hiring 12 new lawyers in 2022, for a total of 30 lawyers serving returning demand for legal services in the country.

The firm recently assisted in project completion and closing for Philippine solar energy developer SunAsia Energy in its USD1.2 billion joint development project with pan-Asian downstream solar company Blue Leaf Energy Asia for 1,300MW floating solar plants in Laguna Lake, southeast of Manila. The law firm also assisted in the submission of eligibility documents and a review of the renewable energy utilisation contract with the Laguna Lake Development Authority.

MOSVELDTT is a full-service law firm established in 2009 by managing partner Alfredo “John” Molo III, well-known for its expertise in helping top businesses, foreign investors and government leaders navigate a fast-changing and increasingly complex world. With six partners and six associates experienced in the intricacies of business and regulation, the law firm also provides consultancy to government and international organisations.

In 2022, MOSVELDTT was instrumental in assisting technology company Shiptek Solutions to win the Philippine Ports Authority’s procurement contract for a trusted operator programme-container registry monitoring system, and empty container storage shared service facility. The programme aims to tag and track hundreds of thousands of containers to mitigate port decongestion and enhance trade and supply chain reliability.

Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose was formed in 1981 as Castillo Laman Tan & Pantaleon with 17 lawyers and the late Gregorio Castillo, as well as Noel Laman, Ancheta Tan and Polo Pantaleon as founding partners. In 1995, securities lawyer Roberto San Jose merged his law practice to form the law firm’s current stable.

With 50 lawyers including 26 partners, it is one of the most respected law firms in the country, assisting numerous special projects in real estate and representing various parties in financial transactions involving big government infrastructure projects and private property developers.

Esguerra & Blanco is a full-service firm established in 2004 by senior partners Ramon Esguerra and the late Jaime Blanco, advising local and international clients on all areas of Philippine law. The firm has a total of seven partners, 18 associates and a tax consultant.

In the shipping and maritime sectors, the law firm provides legal services and representation for clients in all aspects of employment and dispute cases including breach of contracts of carriage (i.e., collisions and other maritime accidents, actions involving claims for death or injury of passengers, and loss or damage to cargo and property), violations of service contracts, and actions involving claims on life and non-life insurance.

Ortega Bacorro Odulio Calma & Carbonell was founded as Pillsbury & Sutro in 1901 by American law practitioners, making it one of the oldest law firms in the country. Through the years it has undergone many changes, with departed partners dropped from the name, until adopting its present name in 2010.

The law firm is widely recognised for its expertise in maritime and admiralty law, handling cases involving collision, attachment and ship arrest, foreclosure, pollution, and damage to piers, underwater cables and corals, along with seafarer claims for benefits, cargo claims and registration of vessels.

Started more than 70 years ago by VE del Rosario, VeraLaw was initially named VE del Rosario & Associates, specialising in maritime and admiralty law. Clients later commonly called the firm by its abbreviation VERA, and the shorthand name is used to this day. The four-partner law firm is now led by managing partner Valeriano del Rosario, the son of the firm’s founder.

As the law firm thrives, VeraLaw continues to be renowned among the best shipping law firms in the country, while expanding into other areas such as IP, immigration and taxation, followed by the expansion of its client base to Japan and Europe. The law firm’s lawyers also actively contribute to the country’s shipping law by providing articles on maritime law and developments in the Philippine shipping industry.

Du-Baladad and Associates (BDB Law) is a boutique law firm specialising in taxation, and founded 13 years ago by taxation and corporate lawyer Benedicta Du-Baladad, who is currently the CEO and consistently ranked among the top 100 lawyers in the Philippines. The law firm is powered by accountant lawyers and economist lawyers who can appreciate the intricacies and uniqueness of every transaction.

With the rapid advance of digitalisation, BDB Law has streamlined access to its voluminous files for tax opinions, pleadings, rulings, assessments and other significant documents by creating an e-library. The firm also joined WTS Group, a Munich-headquartered international consulting group with tax, legal and consulting business units.

In the past 12 months, the law firm handled dispute resolutions worth about PHP16 billion between a fruit supplier company and the tax bureau. The successful handling prevented dragging the case into a long-term process, exposure to the potential risks of losses, and incurring high costs of litigation.

Mata-Perez Tamayo & Francisco was established in 2013 by Euney Marie Mata-Perez, Mark Anthony Tamayo and Gerardo Maximo Francisco. All three are seasoned counsel recognised for their industry-leading practices in the fields of corporate, tax, global trade and customs, labour and litigation. With eight associates, this small firm has built a reputation for providing holistic, practical and hands-on assistance from the boardroom to the courtroom.

The law firm is also a member of the International Tax Specialist Group, a collaboration of independent tax professionals from 50 countries who practice internationally.

Founded in 2015, Ocampo & Suralvo is a full-service law firm led by Jude Ocampo with the support of 16 lawyers, including five partners and four senior associates. Through collaboration with regional law firm DFDL, Ocampo & Suralvo provides clients with solutions to thrive in the global economy, providing access to tax and legal expertise in many of the world’s fastest-growing investment destinations.