Asialaw Profiles
The Guide to the legal markets of the Asia-Pacific

Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose maintains a prestigious list of international clients that comprises Asian Development Bank, Jardine Matheson and the International Finance Corporation.

Of all of Castillo’s talented banking and finance lawyers, peers and clients alike single out partner Mel Macairag for praise. “He is an important figure in the legal market here, and always looks out for the interests of his clients,” says one peer. “He is a tough negotiator, but is well respected.”

In one of the firm’s largest transactions this year, it acted as local counsel to the International Finance Corporation regarding an investment in Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation.

Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose possesses a solid real estate and construction practice in line with its status as a mid size full service firm. Peers recommend the firm for this area on the basis of its strong project finance capability. Although the firm’s real estate practice is subsumed into its large corporate group, it remains ranked because of its recent work and notable personnel.

A leading figure at the firm is founding partner Polo Pantaleon, who is also involved in the firm’s corporate law and banking and finance practices. Pantaleon specialises in financial transactions, particularly involving large infrastructure projects.

Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose is a mid sized firm with a full service offering.

Its IP practice, which handles both patent and trade mark related matters, is especially known for its pharmaceutical expertise, specialising in the area of patent infringement. Clients include such high profile multinational pharmaceutical brands as Eli Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim and GlaxoSmithKline.

Name partner Noel Laman is highly recommended by clients and peers alike for his long experience in the field. He is a recognisable figure in the IP community, having served as President of the Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines. Junior partners Ray Anthony Pinoy and Peach Sison-Ledesma represented Eli Lilly in a patent infringement case regarding its Olanzapro medication, and are lawyers to watch in this space.

Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose is celebrating its 30th anniversary by maintaining its reputation as a full service firm that offers high quality expertise across a broad range of practice areas.

Managing partner Paulino Petralba is head of the firm’s tax practice, which boasts clients such as Davao Central Chemical and Suzuki Philippines.

Of its 44 lawyers at the firm, six are devoted to the tax advisory and planning group. Two attorneys specialise in international corporate tax, two focus on indirect tax, and the remaining two advise clients on transfer pricing. The development of the firm’s tax practice is meant to supplement and strengthen its growing corporate and litigation areas.