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

Kapunan Garcia & Castillo Law Offices

Kapunan Garcia & Castillo Law Offices has expanded its corporate practice, hiring four junior associates. In the firm’s largest deal this year, it advised Lorca Holdings regarding the sale of a property worth PhP105 million and the acquisition of two condominium units worth PhP40.4 million.

Ocampo & Manalo

Name partner CT Ocampo of Ocampo & Manalo has handled several important M&A deals this year. Most notably, he assisted Professional Services (PSI), which operates Manila hospital Medical City, in its acquisition of hospitals in the Philippines and Guam. In another transaction, Ocampo advised food manufacturer CDO Foodsphere regarding assignment of ownership to minority shareholders.

Kapunan Garcia & Castillo Law Offices

In a high profile case, Kapunan Garcia & Castillo Law Offices is representing the West Tower Condominium Corporation in its petition for a Writ of Kalikasan due an oil spill caused by corrosion in a nearby pipeline. A Writ of Kalikasan is a legal action that can be sought when an individual’s constitutional right to a balanced and healthy ecology is threatened. The firm is acting against First Philippine Industrial and First Gen, which is represented by Poblador Bautista & Reyes and Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco.

Zambrano & Gruba

Zambrano & Gruba’s dispute resolution practice has this year advised high profile clients such as Fontana Development, Philippine National Bank, Philippine Airlines and De La Salle University System. In its largest case, the firm is working in conjunction with a Singaporean law firm to advise a group of Philippine banks in a dispute filed in the Singapore High Court involving US$294.4 million.

Kapunan Garcia & Castillo Law Offices

In its largest energy related case this year, Kapunan Garcia & Castillo Law Offices is advising the West Tower Condominium Corporation in its dispute against First Philippine Industrial and First Gen regarding what is reportedly the largest oil spill in Philippine history. West Tower Condominium is near the pipeline where the spill occurred, and is suing the two energy corporations and demanding the immediate closure of the pipeline.

Ocampo & Manalo

Although Ocampo & Manalo is best known for its strong aviation practice, it maintains a presence in the energy area. Name partner CT Ocampo has advised clients such as Jinchuan Nickel, Jinchuan, RT Mineral and Platinum Metals on the sale and acquisition of large energy corporations, such as Toledo Mining Philippines and Phinico.

Del Rosario & Del Rosario

Del Rosario & Del Rosario’s IP practice is developing, with international technology companies taking particular interest in the firm. Sony and Facebook are only a few household names that use this firm for its IP capabilities. Attorneys Arturo Del Rosario and Saben Loyola are especially involved in the IP area.

Hechanova Bugay & Vilchez

Led by managing partner Editha Hechanova, Hechanova Bugay & Vilchez’s IP practice is rapidly gaining a strong reputation for its expertise in handling raids and seizures of counterfeit goods. Hechanova has assisted Sanyo Electric, Luxottica Group, the owner of the Ray-Ban sunglasses brand, and Oakley in handling seizures of counterfeit goods from both warehouses and retail outlets in the Philippines. The goods seized during Oakley’s raid alone are estimated to be worth US$12.5 million.

Kapunan Garcia & Castillo Law Offices

Partner Margarita Benemerito-Castillo leads an active IP practice at Kapunan Garcia & Castillo Law Offices. In the last year, the firm has handled trade mark and patent filing and litigation for companies such as APB Asia, NV Sumatra Tobacco Trading, Phelps Dodge Philippines Energy Products, Le Café Figaro Enterprises and Apollo International.

Rouse

In a landmark case, Rouse obtained the ‘well known’ distinction for the BOTOX mark while representing pharmaceutical company Allergen in a trade mark dispute. The ruling, however, has been appealed. Other clients who have engaged the firm in the last year include BP Singapore, WWE, Wm Wrigley Jr and Research In Motion.

Del Rosario & Del Rosario

Del Rosario & Del Rosario’s strong tax practice covers issues relating to its strong shipping, maritime and aviation practice areas. It has advised shipowners from countries as diverse as Norway, Cyprus and Germany on legal matters, including tax restructuring, after changes in the Migrant Workers & Overseas Act last year.

Kapunan Garcia & Castillo Law Offices

In its largest tax case this year, Kapunan Garcia & Castillo Law Offices advised Philippine Associated Smelting & Refining (PASAR) in a PhP18 million dispute against the Bureau of Internal Revenue regarding excise taxes and tax free zones. The firm’s tax practice has grown this year, adding two junior associates one of whom was formerly a tax supervisor and the other a tax consultant.

Puno & Puno

Puno & Puno has added three new associates in tax, including a CPA from KPMG Manabat Sanagustin & Co, greatly expanding its capabilities. The firm assisted Aboitize Renewables and Luzon Hydro Corporation on its divestment of all interests in Pacific Hydro Bakun. Puno & Puno structured this exit to minimise tax exposure to both parties.

Puyat Jacinto & Santos

Puyat Jacinto & Santos’ tax practice, which is led by real estate partner Virginia Viray, acts for high profile clients such as Hewlett-Packard Philippines. Although the firm lacks a dedicated practice, it is advising a Reit on tax structuring for the acquisition of land and the proposed construction of serviced apartments. It also is representing several clients before the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Court of Tax Appeals and the Supreme Court.

Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco

Partner Sylvette Y Tankiang heads the tax practice at Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco. The full service firm’s strong international reputation has resulted in its representation of regional corporations, such as AP Renewables, HSBC Trustee, JT International and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum, in tax disputes against the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs.

Zambrano & Gruba

Attorneys Angelo Patrick F Advincula and Michael Geronimo head the tax practice at Zambrano & Gruba, which specialises in both advisory and litigation. The firm maintains a prestigious list of local clients, including the Philippine National Bank, Philippine Airlines, De La Salle University System, Grand Plaza Hotel and Kepco Iljan.