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

Accra Law offers a comprehensive IP practice, including registering patents, trade marks and copyrights, litigation, enforcement and registration. Pilipinas Petroleum Corporation used the firm to pursue the enforcement of action for trade mark infringement of the client’s ‘Shellane’ cylinders.

Accra Law managed to secure the trade mark ‘Stormdrain’ for its client Jhaymarts Industries. Senior partner Atty Alex Ferdinand S Fider heads up the firm's IP department, which includes respected patent practitioner Davao City-based Glenn Aquino.

Carag Jamora Somera & Villereal houses a very large trade marks and patent portfolio capability for major marks and patents. It famously handled an Inter Partes opposition case for Donald Trump recently against an application for registration by a Philippine real estate company for the mark ‘THE TRUMPS’. The Director General of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines granted the opposition and declared the mark ‘TRUMP’ as being owned by Mr Trump and internationally well known. The practice is co-led by Carlo A Carag and Maria Trinidad P Villareal.

The dedicated IP/IT and communications practice group at Baker & McKenzie member firm Quisumbing Torres specialises in prosecution, licensing and franchising, technology transfer, infringement litigation and administrative enforcement. Key clients include such prestigious names as Microsoft, which looks to the firm for complicated licensing and enforcement issues.

Vicente B Amador heads the 20 lawyer IP practice at SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan, which was boosted in 2009 by the arrival of senior associate Jonas Emmanual Santos.

In coordination with Singapore firm Allen & Gledhill, the firm rendered legal advice on copyright issues under Philippine law relating to the Animax Regional Survey. This survey was intended to ensure that Animax will not be subject to any copyright infringement claim for User Graphic Content that the user may post on the website. In rendering its advice, SyCip examined and relied upon laws including the Philippine Intellectual Property Code and the Electronic Commerce Act.

Key clients include F.Hoffman-La Roche, Pfizer, Colgate Palmolive, 3M Company and Wyeth.

The intellectual property practice at Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleaon & San Jose comes highly recommended and advises local and international clients on all relevant areas of IP law and IT law. This includes licensing and advertising concepts, as well as representing them in enforcing or defending rights under the unfair competition law.

A particular strength of the practice is its representation of major pharmaceutical manufacturers on medical advertisement law and compliance with requirements of health regulatory agencies.

A very broad client base consists of local companies, multinational corporations (including leading multinational pharmaceutical and information technology companies), foreign law firms and professional groups.

Poblador Bautista & Reyes is a quality player in the IP space. With blue-chip clients like Microsoft, Levi Strauss & Co and GlaxoSmithKline, the standard of work coming from the firm is undoubted. GlaxoSmithKline, for example, retains the firm regularly for work in the Philippines. The pharmaceutical company employs the firm to help enforce IP rights on brands previously protected by patents and recording marks with the Bureau of Customs.

Computer parts manufacturer Intel also employs Poblador Bautista & Reyes to stop companies and individuals attempting to appropriate company or business names that include the Intel name. ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation is using the firm’s services in a litigation involving the enforcement of its statuary broadcasting and copyrights against the retransmission of programmes without consent. Gilbert Reyes is the firm’s leader in this practice area.

Romulo is engaged in the full spectrum of IP services, including protecting patents, trade marks and copyrights and in negotiating and registering licensing and technology transfer agreements.

Rogelio Nicandro heads the practice at Romulo, which has had considerable experience in prosecuting applications and maintaining registrations before the Intellectual Property Office, as well as in pursuing civil and criminal cases involving infringement and unfair competition. The firm also coordinates with appropriate government agencies in obtaining and implementing search warrants for the seizure of infringing articles.

The IP practice at Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco is particularly strong on enforcement and protection, registrations and development. Headed by the distinctive Bienvenido Somera Jr, the team has significant experience in dispute resolution in the IP field.

Esguerra & Blanco offers full IP service to clients in the advertising, food and drugs, information and communication technology industries. Recent work saw the firm represent pharmaceuticals company Pfizer in a trial that had a number of important consequences for the pricing of drugs in the country. Ramon Esguerra led the team on this case and is a respected figure in the IP community.

The IP department at Quasha Ancheta Pena & Nolasco is led by Alonzo Ancheta, who is both a lawyer and a patent attorney. Recent work includes acting as counsel on trade mark oppositions for Nike and AstraZeneca, and on a case between Valeant Pharmaceuticals and Nestlé.

Hechanova Bugay & Vilchez

The IP practice at Hechanova Bugay & Vilchez covers the full remit of IP services. Leading lawyers include name partner Editha R Hechanova, who has initiated and completed numerous successful enforcement actions against counterfeiters and infringers. The firm also houses Gladys C Vilchez, who is a former senior Hearing Officer of the Bureau of Legal Affairs under the Intellectual Property Office of The Philippines (IPOPhil).

Kapunan Lotilla Garcia & Castillo

Kapunan Lotilla’s IP practice is highly respected by peers and client for its capability across trade marks, copyrights and patents. Senior partner Lorna Patajo-Kapunan is an acknowledged expert and served as President and then Chairman of the Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines, and was founding President of the Intellectual Property Alumni Association of the Philippines.

VERALAW Del Rosario Bagamasbad & Raboca

The IP practice at VERALAW Del Rosario Bagamasbad & Raboca specialises in registering IP rights and managing IP portfolios for Philippine companies, as well as acting for foreign clients such as PepsiCo and Mastercard. Jennifer Fajelagutan and Bernadette Marie Tocjayao co-head the IP practice.