Banking and Finance
The Firm has extensive experience in Banking and Finance transactions and has worked on various Securitizations, Structure and Project Financing. In addition to structuring and negotiating Treasury and Trust products,the Firm also assists institutional investors intheir investment management mandates and securities-lending programmes. Its comprehensive expertise in this field of practice ensures clients of output and results that are efficient and custom tailored to suit each client’s peculiar needs.
The Firm is likewise engaged in advisory work for corporate trustees and agency service providers in relation to the general exercise of trustee powers and discretions. It has represented both creditors and borrowers in complex and simple loan and facility syndications.
General Corporate Services
Formation of business entities, contract drafting, review and negotiations as well as the provision of corporate secretarial and director-nominee services are some of the corporate legal services offered by the Firm. The Firm’s active participation in various legal and regulatory corporate matters enables it to provide pin-point legal advice to its corporate clientele.
Special Projects
The Firm’s expertise includes advising on andnegotiating the documentation of complex corporate business ventures, leveraged and management buy-outs, mergers and acquisitions, as well as the initiation or thwarting of corporate take-overs. It likewise provides competent representation in corporate workouts, corporate rehabilitation and debt restructurings. The Firm also handles joint venture transactions and debt and equity public offerings.
The Firm assists clients throughout all stages of a project; providing legal advice and strategies which are practical and cost-efficient. The Firm also performs extensive due diligence and suggests constructive ways to adequately protect the interests of the clients.
The Firm provides innovative approaches toensure that the clients’ desired results and objectives are attained without violating the requirements laid down by law.
Mergers and Acquisition
The Firm’s merger and acquisition team has the experience and expertise in acting as counsel for either the surviving or absorbed corporation in a merger. It has assisted clients in negotiating the terms of the merger, drafting the plan and articles of the merger, obtaining regulatory approvals, securing BIR rulings on tax-free exchanges and carrying our post-merger implementation. The Firm also advises on full range of deal structures from initiating and thwarting take-overs, leveraged and management buy-outs, proxy solicitations, tender offers and divestments.
Corporate Rehabilitation and Insolvency
The Firm is skilled in providing practical and commercial advice on how to deal with corporate rehabilitation and insolvency. It has also been involved in major litigations representing the creditor or the financially distressed debtor. A significant number of cases which resulted in success for the firm’s clients now form part of Philippine jurisprudence.
Foreign Investment
The Firm’s vast experience in structuring foreign investments stems from Its involvement in various transactions for different industries, e.g., power, financial, retail, steel, and realty.
The Firm’s investment services include setting up offshore companies; the documentation of fixed rate corporate notes, fixed rate note sub-participations, and asset-backed securities, convertible bonds, trade finance facilities an debt assignments; international swaps and derivatives (schedule and transactions); registration, incorporation and capitalization of representative and branch offices.
Power Generation and Energy (Oil, Gas and Petroleum)
The Firm caters to the different legal and regulatory needs of various oil and gas industry players by providing the necessary legal assistance and advice on various regulatory requirements, pricing matters, energy project development, tax-related issues, as well as securing government permits, approvals and endorsements.
Estate Planning
The Firm has been involved in all aspects of estate planning includingthe drafting of wills, the appointment of executors and the distribution of process to the beneficiaries. In this regard, the Firm always endeavors to provide the most cost efficient advice that would inure to the benefit of the estate and its beneficiaries.
Tax
The Firm assists in ensuring compliance with tax laws and minimizing tax implications, and renders tax planning advice and opinions on various commercial and financial matters.
The Firm likewise assists clients in securing tax rulings, opinions and clearances from the Bureau of Internal Revenue and other appropriate agencies and handles tax litigation before Philippine Courts. In addition, the Firm handles tax assessments, tax protests, and claims for refund.
Information Technology
The Firm is well versed in the legal developments pertaining to the Philippine information technology sector. Hence, it is able to provide advice on the implementation of Electronic Commercial Transactions. It has been involved in the negotiation and drafting of Information Technology Contracts and Technology Transfer Arrangements. The Firm likewise acts as adviser to many leading IT companies and interconnection service providers in the country.
Environmental Law
The Firm’s environmental law practice embraces the fields in environmental management and regulations, securing permits clearances and licenses; special liaisons with state regulatory agencies and local government units; land use and title, and exploration of natural resources.
Intellectual Property
The Firm provides a wide array of legal services for the registration protection and enforcement of patents, trademarks and copyrights. It facilitates application and registration of intellectual property rights and extends legal assistance and support in the prosecution of copyright infringement, counterfeiting, unfair competition and other forms of intellectual property rights’ violations.In this regard, the Firm regularly appears before lower and appellate courts, as well as the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.
Real Estate
The Firm advises and assists clients on land acquisition, registration and reclassification as well as land use, and planning. The Firm also provides assistance with respect to compliance with real estate development rules and regulations, local ordinances and environmental laws. The Firm also provides legal assistance in respect of drafting or review of construction contracts as well as the conduct of full-blown arbitration cases.
Insurance
From small businesses to large multinationals, the Firm negotiates, and if necessary litigates, on both life and non-life insurance claims, including the preparation and review of various insurance contracts.
Transportation and Maritime Law
The Firm handles negotiations and litigation work involving loss of cargoand property, bills of lading claims, general and particular average claims, arrest of vessels and cargo, insurance claims involving partial or total loss, liability for repairs, salvage, towage, collision, and claims of employees and crew members against the vessel and other maritime accidents.The Firm also assists in the preparation of regulatory documentation of vessels, including registration and licensing, as well as various maritime contracts such as bills of lading, charter parties, and contracts for the purchase, sale, charter, financing and construction of ocean-going vessels.
Understanding the impact of major litigation, the firm strategizes and determines the best course of action to fully protect the clients’ interests or to contain the risks and minimize its effects. It has won landmark cases which eventually found their way in the annals of Philippine jurisprudence:
Criminal Prosecution and Defense
The Firm also maintains an active criminal prosecution and defensepractice. It counsels clients undergoing preliminary investigation or facing other governmental inquiries. Retired members of the judiciary, who serve as counsels to the firm, are ready to assist in trials, appeals and other court proceedings of various criminal offenses.
Alternative Dispute resolution and Arbitration
The Firm advocates that an early settlement of disputes is preferred over a prolonged legal war of attrition. Where appropriate and to reduce the costs and delays often associated with litigation, the Firm recommends the use of alternative dispute resolution techniques to bring about prompt and efficient resolution to complex legal disputes.
With respect to Arbitration, it is able to assist in two ways: 1) help determine whether arbitration is a time and cost-efficient way of setting a dispute; and 2) providing the expertise and resources necessary to conduct a full-fledged arbitration proceeding.
Labor
The Firm’s lawyers have cutting edge experience in dealing with various labor issues including matters relative to human resources development, conditions of employment, labor organization, unfairlabor practices, collective bargaining agreement, strikes and lockouts as well as post-employment issues.
The Firm helps companies draft as well as implement personnel policies and procedures which are tailor fitted to suit the client’s business objectives and compliant with labor laws.
Likewise, the Firm guides clients in complying with various government regulations pertaining to occupational safety and health standards and social security as well as help clients cope with labor and employment issues presented by mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and other commercial transactions.
The Firm actively assists in maintaining industrial peace in the workplace. Its lawyers are adept at negotiating fair, just and reasonable collective bargaining agreements and effectively implementing such agreements. In all of these areas, the Firm makes every effort to meet the clients’ needs in an efficient and cost effective manner.
Family Law
The Firm’s practice extends to providing legal assistance on issues involving family and domestic relations, and advising them on the proper and the most judicious remedies in every given situation.
The Firm has in its roster lawyers who have in-depth knowledge of family law and are equipped with strong people skills and the ability to handle stressful family situations, whose expertise and experience are crucial in assisting clients of their various concerns which include domestic violence, petition for temporary and permanent protective orders, legal separation, annulment and declaration of nullity of marriage, property settlements, adoption, matters of paternity an filiation, custody and other related cases.
Local Government, Election and Administrative Law
The Firm’s lawyers have had extensive dealings with various local governments in the country, such as negotiations involving local and community taxation, processing of local government permits and licenses, and real property assessment and taxation.
Also, the Firm has seasoned election lawyers who have planned and handled successful election strategies for hopeful and incumbent elective officials during the campaign period and elections. These services include conducting seminars for watchers and campaign staff, pre-election, counting of ballots, canvassing, representation in pre-proclamation controversies and election protests.
Naturalization and Immigration
The Firm provides general legal immigration and alien registration services. It also represents foreigners who desire to be granted Filipino citizenship through judicial naturalization proceedings or the Administrative Naturalization Law of 2000. It also provides legal assistance to former natural-born Filipino citizens planning to re –acquire their citizenship under the Retention and Re-acquisition Act.
Entertainment Law
The Firm also has a roster of lawyers adept at protecting artists and talents in the creation and intellectual property of their music, art, movie, television show or other forms of entertainment. The firm provides counselling to address the legal needs of individuals and companies working in the entertainment industry, music, literature and the fine arts. Some of the services that the Firm competently provides include drafting and reviewing contracts and agreements, assisting with copyright and trademark protection and safeguarding the welfare of minor and other young talents and artists who are entering the industry.
