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

ACCRALAW strengthens its outstanding litigation practice with expertise in the shipping, maritime and aviation areas. Although particularly known for its litigation capability, ACCRALAW’s strong reputation means it is a popular choice for all types of litigation in this area.

The firm’s former head of litigation and co-managing partner Teresita Herbosa was recently appointed chair of the Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission by President Aquino, and has since left ACCRALAW. However, partner Francisco Ed Lim’s return from government office means that the firm should be relatively unaffected by Herbosa’s absence.

Senior partners Victor Plazatin and Luis A Vera Cruz have handled cases in the area and are also well known for their litigation abilities.

“The firm is a household name in the shipping and maritime areas,” says one competitor of Del Rosario & Del Rosario. Another peer remarks: “Its lawyers are really good, especially brothers Arturo T Del Rosario Jr and Ruben T Del Rosario.”

Del Rosario & Del Rosario is a boutique firm that specialises in shipping and maritime work. Though it maintains practices in other areas, such as labour and employment and tax, it primarily does so to support its maritime focus.

In its highest profile case, partner Joseph Rebano is leading the firm in its representation of the owner of MV ‘Double Prosperity’. The ship damaged a protected coral reef near the Province of Sarangani in May 2011, and the local government is claiming US$3.5 million for environmental damage.

Ortega Del Castillo Bacorro Odulio Calma & Carbonell is one of the oldest firms in the Philippines having been founded by a group of US attorneys in 1901. Although it is a full service firm, it is best known for its shipping, maritime and aviation capabilities.

Name partners Benjamin Bacorro and Pedro Carbonell are especially recognised in the Philipine market for their expertise in this practice area. Both have decades’ of experience and have an exceptional understanding of the legal matters in this area.

The firm has worked for clients such as Seaquest Logistics and European and Scandinavian P&I clubs, which protect members against large marine insurance claims.

“Platon Martinez Flores San Pedro Leaño is the largest firm for aviation matters,” says one partner of a rival firm. Its reputation in the aviation space is outstanding, attracting a long list of prominent clients such as China Airlines, Philippine Airlines, DHL, Thai Airways and KLM. The firm also handles maritime disputes.

The firm suffered a severe blow in November 2010 with the passing of pivotal name partner and head of its litigation practice Saklolo Leaño.

Although the firm lacks other aviation specialists, it does house other litigation and corporate practitioners. These include corporate partner Rachelle Santos and employment head Grace Quevedo-Panagsagan.

SyCip’s enormous capabilities as one of the largest full service firms in the Philippines are evident in its shipping, maritime and aviation practice, which is led by partner Mia G Gentugaya. Due to its strong practice is nearly every practice area, SyCip is a leading choice for clients looking for financing or corporate expertise.

Gentugaya advised CIT Bank in the financing for the acquisition of two aircraft by Challenge Aero for US$24 million. The multi-jurisdictional nature of the transaction, which involved French, Philippine and US law, complicated this financing deal. Gentugaya and her team also assisted the acquirers in deregistering the aircraft.

Belo Gozon Elma Parel Asuncion & Lucila is technically a full service firm, but it is best known for its aviation, telecommunications and maritime practice. This includes name partners Felipe L Gozon and Roberto Rafael V Lucila.

Gozon is especially recognisable in the aviation area, in which he was formerly the President of the Aviation Lawyers Association in the Philippines. Lucila is also a respected figure among practitioners.

Both lawyers are larger-than-life figures in the Philippine business world, with Gozon acting as chief executive of GMA Networks and Lucila serving as director of East Asia Power Resources until July 2011.

Ocampo & Manalo is a rapidly growing full service firm that has an exceptionally successful aviation practice. Its outstanding reputation in the aviation practice can be attributed to Carlos Ocampo and Manolito Manalo’s previous experience as in house counsel at Philippine Airlines.

Both name partners, however, have different specialities. Manalo leads the firm’s corporate practice, while Ocampo is stronger in litigation and dispute resolution.

The firm’s clients include international carriers Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways, and the third largest carrier in the Philippines, Zest Air. In recent work, the firm has secured all necessary Philippine licences for foreign carrier Jeju Air to begin operating in the country.

It has also been appointed by an airline consultancy firm to assist in raising the safety rating of the Philippines in the scale of the US’ Federal Aviation Administration.

Quisumbing Torres has one of the strongest shipping, maritime and aviation practices in the Philippines due to the broad expertise and exceptional abilities of the lawyers in its corporate and litigation practices. International carriers frequently utilise the firm for its international capabilities and membership in the Baker & McKenzie network.

Partner Rodrigo Lope Quimbo, who heads the litigation practice, has tremendous experience in the aviation area, having handled cases involving aircraft accidents and liability suits. He is also a faculty member of the De La Salle College of Law.

Alexandre Dueñas, elected partner in 2009, is also an up-and-coming attorney in Quisumbing Torres’s litigation practice. He handles cases involving both aviation and aerospace technology.

RMBSA is one of the largest and most well regarded full service firms in the Philippines. Its ability to handle cases across multiple practice areas is only shared by a few other Philippine firms.

Partner Cynthia Roxas de Castillo is head of the securities practice at the firm, but has handled its aviation related transactions this year because of their financial focus. In one notable deal, de Castillo advised borrower Johannesberg in the US$9 million lease and mortgage agreement from lenders VGS Holding and HSH Nordbank AG for an Airbus A319-132 aircraft leased to Zest Air.

Poblador Bautista & Reyes

Partner Nick Emmanuel C Villaluz of Poblador Bautista & Reyes is advising Northwest Airlines on legal matters regarding its merger with international carrier Delta Air. The firm also is representing Asian Terminals, operator of one of the largest Philippine ports, in various litigation cases involving marine insurance and damage claims.