The Legal 500

Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALAW) is highly recommended for its advice in contentious and non-contentious employment matters, including strikes and lockouts, unfair labour practices, the dismissal of employees and social security issues. Marcial De La Fuente heads the first-class team, which represents clients from every sector.

Platon Martinez Flores San Pedro & Leaño has an excellent employment team with a strong reputation in collective bargaining agreements, redundancies, in-house training and negotiations with trade unions. The firm recently assisted Merck Sharp & Dohme in its negotiations with employees for a collective bargaining agreement. Grace Quevedo-Panagsagan heads the team.

At Quisumbing Torres, group head Kenneth Chua, Gil Roberto Zerrudo and recently promoted partner Eliseo Zuniga are noted for their ‘very prompt response times and excellent quality of legal service. They are flexible and easy to work with and make clients feel that they are being given prompt attention and priority’. The ‘excellent’ team is recommended for labour relations and litigation, and advice on transactional and outsourcing-related issues. Korea Electric Power Corporation and Triumph International Philippines are both major clients.

Siguion Reyna Montecillo & Ongsiako is recommended for employment matters and advises a raft of impressive clients, including Coca-Cola Bottlers and the Pilipino Telephone Corporation. The firm has a strong reputation for handling strikes, employment disputes and collective bargaining negotiations. Roland Mario Villonco heads the team.

Mario Bautista and Gilbert Reyes are recommended at Poblador Bautista & Reyes. The firm recently represented the Philippine construction giant, EEI Corporation, in the Supreme Court in its successful defence against $100m of employment claims made by 630 former employees. Other clients include Federal Express and the International School Manila.

Enriquito Mendoza heads a quality three-partner team at Romulo, which provides strong support for the firm’s excellent corporate group. The practice is adept in collective bargaining agreements and labour disputes.

SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan is regularly instructed by the firm’s corporate clientbase on key contentious and non-contentious employment issues. Recent clients include Coca-Cola and San Miguel. Lozano Tan heads the quality team.

Almase Suarez & Almase-Martinez Law Offices is recommended for employment issues in the Cebu region, where the firm is based.

Belo Gozon Elma Parel Asuncion & Lucila Law Office regularly advises its clients on contentious and non-contentious issues, including employment policies and benefit plans. Roberto Parel is the main contact.

Carag, Jamora, Somera & Villareal Law Offices has several clients in the fashion and TMT industries, which it represents on employment matters.

Ancheta Tan heads a strong team at Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose. Tan is a former President of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines.

Del Rosario & Del Rosario handles numerous instructions for shipowners, agents and insurers on related employment matters. The growing risk of piracy has led to more rigorous contractual commitments so as to avoid further claims among Philippine sailors, who make up a large part of the maritime industry’s workforce. The firm also works for port owners and is noted for personal injury work.

JGLaw offers a wide-ranging employment and industrial relations practice, which covers both contentious and non-contentious matters. Ernesto Caluya is the main contact.

Ocampo & Manalo has a good track record in employment advice and advises numerous clients in the aviation sector.

Ortega Del Castillo Bacorro Odulio Calma & Carbonell advises on all areas of employment law and has a good niche in the establishment of employment agencies. Recently, it advised a multinational client on its restructuring affecting thousands of employees. Elizer Odulio is the main contact.

Picazo Buyco Tan Fider & Santos is highly experienced in contentious and non-contentious matters, and regularly negotiates on behalf of clients with trade unions and the Department of Labour. Purisimo Buyco heads the team.

Denis Habawel heads a strong team at Ponce Enrile Reyes & Manalastas, which is highly experienced in all areas of employment law, including labour contract reviews, collective bargaining agreements and dismissal proceedings.

Disputes partner Roy Enrico Santos heads the team at Puyat Jacinto & Santos Law Offices, which represents several major BPO units in the country, including Sykes Asia, Hewlett Packard and JPMorgan Chase.

Conrado Dar Santos is one of the main employment partners at Quasha Ancheta Peña & Nolasco’s recommended practice.

Quiason Makalintal Barot Torres Ibarra & Sison’s disputes head Orencio Ibarra has a good reputation for labour law, and is backed up by a strong team.

Disputes partner Alejandro Navarro heads a quality team at Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco, which covers all contentious and non-contentious matters, including labour relations and compliance.