The Philippines

ACCRALAW is a market leader with the capability to handle a vast range of complex and high-value disputes. The firm has a strong track record of acting on high-profile commercial litigation, employment and regulatory disputes. The firm is well equipped to tackle complex alternative dispute resolution, with a prominent capability for handling international arbitration matters. Victor Lazatin and Leland Villadolid Jr are star litigators in the market covering commercial disputes, Patricia-Ann Prodigalidad is noted for her construction and IP expertise, while Oliver Pantaleon specialises in energy and tax matters. Managing partner Emerico Guzman is a well-known labour and employment specialist. The firm successfully represented Phillips Seafood Philippines Corporation in a significant patent infringement suit before the Philippine Supreme Court

Client feedback

Fatima Faye Cordova

"Very professional and well equipped."

Erwin Filio

"Real-time response and finds time to explain further by scheduling a call. Thorough explanation."

Erik Ricalde

"Very responsive and depth of knowledge is very good. Good strategist."

Led by Simeon Marcelo, Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia is highly regarded in the dispute resolution field with solid expertise in the areas of commercial and transactions, intellectual property and alternative dispute resolution. The firm is singled out for its remarkable track record of acting on high-profile public interest and pro bono cases. Simeon Marcelo is noted for his commercial and tax disputes expertise while John Jerico Balisnomo is active in government and regulatory litigation. IP partner Susan Villanueva is another key name to note. The firm represented Unicapital in a loan recovery matter involving allegations of fraudulent representations. The case centred on a substantial loan allegedly obtained through misrepresentations related to a government contract.

Client feedback

"The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) highly recognizes the lawyers’ technical and legal expertise in sharing their actual and practical experiences and technical advice in patent drafting, prosecution, freedom to operate searches, litigation, intellectual property rights valuation, and commercialization. These are instrumental in DOST’s efforts to foster effective intellectual property management and culture among the science and technology personnel, and faculty researchers, particularly in state universities and colleges, and local universities. And with the firm’s reputable and accommodating lawyers, the firm is a go-to collaborating partner for the pool of resource persons for various IP and patent-related capacity-building initiatives of the DOST. The engaged IP lawyers do customize learning tools that would fit the needs and profile of faculty researchers; and they are very accommodating to DOST's requests and find time to be of service to the government." – Intellectual property

Rowanie Nakan

“Rowanie Nakan's heart for serving the country and public service through sharing her invaluable time and expertise (industry, technical, and legal) paved the way for enabling the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to be effective in fostering innovation and intellectual property awareness and management for research outputs and technologies. For instance, despite her busy schedule, she offers other mutually workable schedules with us clients as she wants to be of service to the government. Her passion and dedication to sharing her technical and practical expertise are evident during the assessment activities, wherein she generously provides recommendations and guidance to technology generators and licensees, as well as her superb efforts in drafting very insightful and comprehensive fairness opinion reports. Nakan even brought her team in their tailored training-workshop for faculty researchers and DOST personnel. Moreover, despite her high position in the firm, Nakan is very approachable and accommodating."

Susan Villanueva

"She is professional."

A debut entry into this edition of Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific, Dime & Eviota Law Firm is active in commercial and transactions. Following the economic devastation of the pandemic, the firm often finds itself assisting in the restructuring of companies. Partners Ronald Dime and Juan Carlos Garcia helm the firm’s dispute resolution practice.

Recent work highlights include advising Dornier Technology and International Airlines Group in a commercial litigation case filed by Berthaphil; and representing a start-up engaged in providing sustainability and energy efficiency-related services in a US 1.3 arbitration involving convertible notes.

Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) – a member firm of Rajah & Tann Asia – has a strong domestic and international arbitration practice. The firm’s litigation experience covers a diverse range of subjects, such as contractual disputes, product liability, tax and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards. Ben Dominic Yap, managing partner of the firm, specializes in litigation and arbitration with expertise in corporate and energy matters. Other key contacts include Jesus Paolo Protacio – a specialist in civil and commercial litigation as well as labor, criminal and general disputes – and tax specialist Anthony Mark Gutierrez. The firm represented Standard Chartered Bank in a substantial contractual dispute against the Philippine Guarantee Corporation. The case centred on a P1.12 billion ($20 million) claim arising from the corporation's alleged failure to honour obligations under a guaranteed agreement for a loan facility extended to Philippine Phosphate Corporation.

Client feedback

Vladi Miguel Lazaro

"He consistently meets deadlines, demonstrates extensive knowledge of the subject matter, and produces excellent drafts."

Gorriceta Africa Cauton & Saavedra makes its debut in Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific with a robust dispute resolution practice that demonstrates comprehensive capabilities across multiple judicial and quasi-judicial forums. The firm's strategic approach to litigation encompasses a wide range of legal domains including civil, criminal, commercial, administrative, and regulatory disputes. Ramon Andre Cedro serves as a senior partner leading the labor relations and employment group, with a particular focus on complex litigation and arbitration matters. In a significant financial restructuring matter, the firm represented Empower Finance in rehabilitation proceedings for a Philippine consumer lending company.

Founded in 1994, Poblador Bautista & Reyes is a top-tier firm in dispute resolution and its partners are recognised as star litigators in the country. The firm has extensive experience in the fields of commercial litigation and arbitration, government and regulatory, insolvency and intellectual property. It is a go-to firm for big-ticket litigation as well as international arbitration, notably active in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

Alexander Poblador, Gilbert Raymund Reyes, Mario Luza Bautista and Dino Vivencio Tamayo are recommended for their commercial and regulatory disputes expertise, while Bautista and Tamayo are also noted for their respective experience in insolvency and intellectual property.

In a significant commercial litigation matter, the firm advised a major Philippine business conglomerate on enforcing a complex court decision involving substantial share transfers valued at approximately 31 billion pesos. The case addressed long-standing legal challenges surrounding a controversial transaction with a government bank that had previously attracted significant public scrutiny. By navigating the intricate legal proceedings, the firm helped resolve a dispute with potential broader implications for corporate governance and financial transparency in the Philippines.

Following their previous commercial litigation work, the firm represented College Assurance Plans Philippines in a lengthy corporate rehabilitation proceeding involving a pre-need company facing substantial financial challenges. The case centred on restructuring the company's obligations and protecting plan holder interests through complex legal negotiations spanning two decades. By navigating intricate financial and regulatory challenges, the firm helped develop a rehabilitation strategy that addressed the company's financial distress while attempting to balance stakeholder interests.

The firm’s recent client roster also includes Apo Agua Infrastructure, Ayala Land, Lazada E-Services Philippines and Limay Power.

Client feedback

"Demonstrates integrity, provides a well-researched work product, and takes an innovative approach to legal problems." – Commercial and transactions

"Excellent pleading work, correspondences, and strategy." – Commercial and transactions

"Poblador Bautista & Reyes Law Office is a full-service law firm covering all disciplines. We hired them for their expertise in construction arbitration, as well as criminal and civil cases. The lawyers are strategic, proactive, and easy to work with." – Construction

Justin Christopher Mendoza

"Provides timely delivery and ensures an efficient turnaround time."

"Easy to talk to and approachable."

"Very strategic and studies cases comprehensively. Highly reliable and professional during hearings, with impressive integrity."

Puyat Jacinto & Santos (PJS Law) demonstrates comprehensive expertise across civil, commercial and criminal litigation. It is noted for its extensive corporate and government administrative bodies client base. It boasts a suite of lawyers with direct experience in alternative dispute resolution including domestic and international arbitration and mediation. The firm is also committed to taking on pro bono instructions.

Key practitioners include Roy Enrico Santos, Joshua Gilbert Paraiso and Fidel Valeros. All of them are adept in commercial disputes with a particular focus on energy litigation.

Quisumbing Torres advises on a range of dispute matters but is best known for its commercial disputes and international arbitration work. As a member firm of Baker McKenzie, the firm is actively representing clients in cross-border disputes. The firm’s cases also highlight work in construction, labour and employment, intellectual property and tax.

Donemark Calimon is noted for his capability in commercial disputes and international arbitration. Managing partner Ramon Quisumbing and labour and employment lawyers Kenneth Chua, Gil Roberto Zerrudo and Eliseo Zuñiga are other key contacts. IP specialists include Divina Ilas-Panganiban and Bienvenido Marquez III.

In international arbitration, the firm successfully assisted an American chemical conglomerate in an international commercial arbitration involving a non-solicitation clause in a contract with its local client, which is a subsidiary of a large conglomerate in the Philippines.

The rest of the clients who instructed the firm during the research period remain highly confidential.

Client feedback
"Excellent communicators, good researchers, very open on fees for service, trustworthy, logical thought process, kept us informed. Overall, excellent service led by partner Michael Macapagal, a top-notch attorney." – Commercial arbitration

"Provides speedy and relevant advice while understanding our priorities." – Construction

“Quisumbing Torres handles case and client management very well. They understand our business objectives and ensure these are met in handling our trademark litigation cases.” – Intellectual property

Dranyl Jared Amoroso
“He is extremely knowledgeable.”

Donemark Calimon
"Delivers excellent advice promptly, demonstrates a clear understanding of our priorities, and remains readily available."
Kenneth Chua
“Kenneth possesses a friendly and approachable demeanour. He has a knack for explaining concepts effectively and providing practical solutions to legal issues. Additionally, I value his responsiveness.”

“The employment team led by Kenneth Chua is highly reliable and responsive. Their advice is both practical and informative, and they are adept at sharing practical insights gained from their experience with other clients, which I find valuable. Overall, the service I receive from them is excellent. In contrast, my previous counsel from one of the largest firms in the Philippines often provided lengthy and impractical essays, requiring repeated prodding and questions to elicit a proper response. They frequently missed deadlines and even failed to acknowledge instructions via email, leading to immense frustration. However, when I work with Kenneth's team, I encounter none of these issues. They consistently respond promptly and are always willing to schedule a call at my request. Their quotes are fair and reasonable, and they promptly provide invoices that align with our requirements.”

Divina Ilas-Panganiban
“She provides simple solutions to seemingly complex legal issues especially on trademark licensing and enforcement matters. What I appreciate about Divina is her initiative in providing us with options on our trademark strategy to ensure that the same is consistent with our business objectives. On the administrative side, Divina ensures that all our needs are well taken care of and are addressed at the earliest time possible. We are fortunate that she is the one primarily handling our portfolio.”

Michael Macapagal
“He is an excellent communicator and has a take-charge mentality. He demonstrates transparency in his approach and is hardworking, consistently meeting all deadlines. He possesses intelligence and the ability to break down complex issues, effectively conveying responses in layman's language.”

Another debut entry into this edition of Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific, Sarmiento Loriega Law Office is lauded for its work particularly in tax. Its integrated tax practice includes advice on cross-border transactions, international tax matters, transfer pricing and strategic financing structures. The firm often combines substantive tax expertise with litigation experience to advise and represent our clients in tax dispute resolution at all levels. Its tax practice also caters to individual and family tax concerns, especially in wealth management and estate planning. Founding partner and tax expert Maria Elizabeth Peralta-Loriega is a key figure to note.

Details of all cases the firm has handled in the past 12 months are confidential.

Maria Elizabeth Peralta-Loriega

“Attorney Loriega is very dedicated to her profession and clients. She ensures a very high standard of integrity and professionalism in the discharge of her functions/services. She has a very good relationship with her clients. She's innovative and resourceful in finding solutions for her clients.”

One of the oldest full-service law firms in the country, Siguion Reyna Montecillo & Ongsiako has proven expertise in handling a range of litigation and arbitration cases, especially in labour and employment. The firm’s clients include large domestic companies, high-net-worth individuals and Fortune 500 companies primarily from the UK, Germany, Sweden and Italy. Industry specialties include aviation, energy, and banking and financial services.

Rolando Mario Villonco spearheads the widely lauded labour department of the firm.

The firm is a Philippine member of the TAGLaw international alliance, a global alliance of 150 independent law firms.

Subido Pagente Certeza Mendoza & Binay's litigation and dispute resolution department handles complex civil, criminal, special proceedings, tax, and election cases across administrative and court levels. The firm has developed a track record in resolving high-stakes disputes, often achieving settlements for clients before judicial proceedings conclude. The department's partners, including Ma Joycelyn Guirnalda, Joseph Joel Castillo, and Maria Patricia Alvarez, lead the practice's litigation efforts. These practitioners have expanded the firm's expertise into emerging legal domains such as labor law, banking law, family law, competition law, arbitration, and medical registration compliance. The team comprises lawyers with diverse legal backgrounds and qualifications.

Villaraza & Angangco has emerged as a leading litigation and dispute resolution practice in the Philippines, distinguished by its comprehensive approach to complex legal challenges across commercial, government, regulatory, and employment domains. The firm's strategic capabilities span critical sectors including banking, telecommunications, real estate, energy, and infrastructure, demonstrating a nuanced ability to navigate intricate legal landscapes with sophisticated legal solutions. Led by senior practitioners Alejandro Alfonso Navarro, Augusto San Pedro Jr, Thea Daep, Katrina Doble, Bienvenido Somera Jr, and Rashel Ann Pomoy, the firm brings decades of collective experience in handling high-stakes litigation and arbitration matters at national and international levels. Their current representation of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation in a complex international cyberheist case exemplifies the firm's capacity to manage sophisticated legal challenges that intersect multiple legal domains, showcasing their ability to provide strategic, innovative legal representation in matters of significant complexity and systemic importance.

Client feedback

"Very approachable and client centric." – Commercial and transactions

"Timely provide us with all the changes for the specific countries." – Labour and employment

Thea Daep

"She is very knowledgeable about the matters raised before her and is able to think outside the box when necessary."

Rashel Ann Pomoy

"Not only Rashel, but the entire team is very good at their work."

Raquel Taguian

"Demonstrates amazing leadership, delivers with excellence, and drives the team well."

Founded in 2019, full-service firm Tolosa Javier Lim & Chua Law Firm’s dispute resolution practice focuses on commercial, civil, criminal, and administrative litigation, with vast experience in arbitration. The firm is composed of experienced partners who have honed their crafts by practising law as senior lawyers in the country’s leading dispute resolution and corporate law firms.

Managing partner Benjamin S Tolosa heads the firm’s dispute resolution practice. Filemon Ray Javier, Dyan Danika Lim-Ong and Germaine Chua Apelario Ong are other key figures at the firm.

Details of all cases the firm has provided are confidential.

Villaraza & Angangco was built on the legacy of former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio. The firm is a recognised name in litigation relating to commercial, government and regulatory and employment disputes. The team is also active in the banking, telecoms, real estate, energy and infrastructure sectors.

Some of the key names for commercial and regulatory disputes include Alejandro Alfonso Navarro, Augusto San Pedro and Thea Daep. Joseph Anthony Lopez heads the litigation team. In intellectual property, Bienvenido Somera and Katrina Doble are the names to note.

In the government and regulatory space, the firm played a crucial role in defending the directors and officers of Udenna Corporation, the president of Chevron Malampaya, and the managing director of UC Malampaya Philippines. This defence was in response to a complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, pertaining to the approval of a share sale agreement involving the parent company of one of the contractors of the Malampaya Project. The significance of this case cannot be understated, as it has substantial implications for the future operations of the Malampaya deep water gas-to-power project. This project stands as the largest commercial gas discovery in the Philippines, with the government's long-standing intention to reduce oil imports, ensure a more stable supply of cleaner energy from an indigenous resource, and fulfil up to 20% of the country's energy requirements.

In the field of labour and employment, the firm achieved notable success by successfully defending a global technology company against a series of harassment suits brought by independent contractors engaged for transportation services. Through creative and unconventional legal manoeuvres, the firm skilfully highlighted the absence of an employer-employee relationship between the contractors and the client, thereby demonstrating the lack of jurisdiction for the tribunals over the subject-matter. With the dismissal of the first harassment suit, the firm's unconventional legal strategy proved effective and served as a deterrent against subsequent harassment claims by independent contractors targeting the client.

The firm counts esteemed companies as litigation clients, including Aircraft Support Industries, Fountel Corporation, Manila Water Company and UC Malampaya Philippines.

Client feedback
“Professional, proactive and responsive.” – Commercial arbitration

“Enquiries are being answered professionally and they handle our SEC (government agency) requirements well.” – Government and regulatory

“Clear, timely and commercial advice. They have a large employment team.” – Labour and employment

Thea Daep
“Has the ability to provide sound business sense.”

Katrina Doble
“Katrina responds promptly and professionally.”

Winona Maraiah Fajardo
“Good communicator, easy to talk to and responds fast.”

Rashel Ann Pomoy
“Professional, responsive, respectful and proactive.”

“She provides clear and knowledgeable advice, effectively guiding clients through legal matters. Additionally, she demonstrates excellent organisational skills in efficiently managing her team and consistently meeting deadlines.”

“Very responsive and very knowledgeable about labour matters especially in relation to our industry.”

Arthur Villaraza
“He maintains a strong ethical standard, demonstrating integrity in his work. He approaches legal matters strategically, carefully considering the best course of action. Furthermore, he is known for his straightforward and direct communication.”