Our Practice


General Counseling & Retainer

The scope of services covered by the retainer agreement with the Firm include consultations, advice and opinions on all aspects of Philippine law and jurisprudence; preparation and review of contracts in the ordinary course of business but excluding those requiring extensive negotiations or documentation; routine verification with government offices and agencies; and notarial services for clients.

Directorship & Corporate Secretary

Whenever necessary, one of the lawyers of the Firm may act as director, and/or corporate secretary for clients. The work entails attendance at board and stockholders' meetings, counseling during the meetings, preparation and keeping of minutes, resolutions and stock transfer books, issuance of stock certificates and documentation of stock transfer transactions.

Litigation

The Firm is likewise competent to provide assistance to clients in transacting with the Bureau of Immigration, which include, among others, processing of passports and VISA applications. The Firm also handles immigration cases such as deportation of illegal and/or undesirable aliens.

Civil Litigation & Special Proceedings

  • persons and family relations cases
  • property disputes
  • land titling and registration
  • torts and quasi-delict liability claims
  • debt collection
  • foreclosures and ejectment
  • contesting of will and testaments and other probate-related matters
  • special proceedings
  • persons and family relations cases
  • property disputes
  • land titling and registration
  • torts and quasi-delict liability claims
  • debt collection
  • foreclosures and ejectment
  • contesting of will and testaments and other probate-related matters
  • special proceedings

Criminal

  • The Firm represents clients in criminal cases and in all stages of the proceedings, whether on the side of the prosecution, or on defense.

Election

The Firm is likewise competent to provide legal services on elections laws, and represent clients before the Commission on Elections, the different canvassing boards and electoral tribunals, and even before the Supreme Court in case of an appeal made by any party.

Immigration

The Firm is likewise competent to provide assistance to clients in transacting with the Bureau of Immigration, which include, among others, processing of passports and VISA applications. The Firm also handle immigration cases such as deportation of illegal and/or undesirable aliens.

Labor

The Firm represents clients in litigation directly involving labor and employment laws, such as but not limited to the following:

  • illegal dismissal and money claims
  • strikes and unfair labor practice cases
  • wage and salary standardization, including correction of wage distortion

The above labor issues are usually resolved in proceedings before various agencies, such as:

  • Department of Labor and Employment
  • Philippine Overseas Employment Administration
  • National Labor Relations Commission
  • Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
  • National Conciliation and Mediation Board
  • Bureau of Labor Relations

While the Firm provides litigation services for labor disputes, it strongly advocates the promotion of industrial peace in the workplace. To achieve this, the Firm believes that the following services may prevent a prolonged and unhealthy labor-management relationship:

  • collective bargaining negotiations
  • preventive counseling in Human Resource Management
  • employment contract drafting
  • review of existing employment contract
  • drafting of, reviewing and/or and interpreting the legal implications of corporate manual and policy on Human Resource Management
  • voluntary and compulsory arbitration
  • grievance handling

Considering the rapid developments in labor laws, and to ensure that clients are well informed on matters involving labor relations, the Firm exerts its best efforts to constantly coordinate with the different governmental agencies to secure the most recent information that may have significant impact to clients.

Intellectual Property

The Firm is well versed in the field of Intellectual Property Law. It offers its services in the preparation, facilitation and prosecution of Patent, Trademark and Copyright applications with the Philippine Intellectual Property Office. The firm is likewise competent to provide legal services in the campaign against piracy and counterfeiting of which include the following:

  • preparation of newspaper warnings
  • preparation, sending and follow-up of cease and desist letters
  • coordination with a police agency, i.e Philippine National Police (“PNP”) or the National Bureau of Investigation regarding the possible raids to be undertaken against the manufacturers, distributors and retailers of counterfeit goods
  • application for search warrants
  • actual raid against identified violators
  • filing of complaints for Unfair Competition and/or Infringement including actions for damages and injunctions
  • Filing of administrative actions before the Intellectual Property Office
  • Coordination and Liaison work with the Bureau of Customs to prevent entry of counterfeit goods

Taxation

Corporate Tax Advocacy Services. The Firm provides legal assistance in handling protests of tax assessments, claims for refund, requests for BIR rulings, and other tax-related matters, such as, the processing of certificate authorizing registration, tax clearance, and transfer of tax credit certificates.

Corporate Tax Advisory Services. The tax advisory services ranges from giving opinion on tax and investment incentives under the National Internal Revenue Code and other special laws. It appropriately advises clients on tax implications of proposed contracts and corporate decisions, as well as the tax considerations of corporate organizations. From time to time, the Firm will consistently provide its clients directly or indirectly affected with recent BIR issuances, with recommendations or strategies on how to soften or avoid its tax implications.

Corporate Restructuring. The Firm provides legal documentation for companies that desire to restructure its existing business models to achieve a more efficient and flexible utilization of its business resources. It further implements the corporate restructuring design by processing the necessary papers or clearances primarily with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Other Services

The Firm offers its services to assist clients in matters requiring or involving Governmental licenses and authorizations, liaison work, registration of documents and transactions with regulatory agencies, protests contests, litigation and other proceedings before administrative and quasi-judicial bodies, such as:

  • Local Government Units
  • Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
  • Securities and Exchange Commission
  • Bureau of Internal Revenue
  • Bureau of Local Government Finance
  • Bureau of Customs
  • Department of Agrarian Reform
  • Land Registration Authority
  • Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board
  • Department of Environment and Natural Resources
  • Environmental Management Bureau
  • Parks and Wildlife Bureau
  • Pollution Adjudication Board
  • Department of Labor and Employment
  • Philippine Overseas Employment Agency
  • National Telecommunications Commission
  • Bureau of Food and Drugs
  • Board of Investments
  • Insurance Commission
  • Bureau of Immigration and Deportation
  • Intellectual Property Office
  • Maritime Industry Authority
  • Civil Aeronautics Board
  • Philippines Export Zone Authority
  • Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer Protection