Top law firms in the Philippines in competition & antitrust 2018

Becoming a top legal adviser requires firms to go beyond giving solid legal advice and ensure timely completion of tasks. Asia Business Law Journal names the top firms in the Philippines for 2018. We have identified four winners in competition & antitrust area as follows

• GATMAYTAN YAP PATACSIL GUTIERREZ & PROTACIO
• SYCIP SALAZAR HERNANDEZ & GATMAITAN
• ROMULO MABANTA BUENAVENTURA SAYOC & DE LOS ANGELES
• QUISUMBING TORRES

Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) is among the fastest growing mid-sized firms in the Philippines, adding five new partners in the past year to take the number of partners to 12 and a total of 40 lawyers. A member firm of Singapore’s Rajah & Tann Asia, Southeast Asia’s largest legal network, the firm has represented top-flight clients such as Ayala Land, a leading property developer, and pharmaceutical behemoth Sanofi-Aventis Philippines, among others.

One of the most notable deals for the firm was the merger of the main Cebu subsidiaries of Ayala Land, a subsidiary of Ayala Corporation (AC), which is one of the Philippines’ largest and most diversified conglomerates. The US$470 million merger of the listed entities also required a nod from the PCC.

“C&G Law’s responses are simple, comprehensive and understandable to non-lawyers like us, which shows their expertise in the topics we are asking opinion on,” says Gladys Solidum, head of tax and compliance at Sanofi-Aventis. “Their opinions and the delivery of the service always stand out. In a number of instances, we seek a second opinion from them if we are not satisfied with the opinion provided by our other tax adviser, and we end up working with them up to the completion of the project,” she says.