Leading Individuals

Next Generation Partners

Foreign firms in Philippines

Allen & Overy

With its dedicated Philippines focus group comprised of eight partners, Allen & Overy excels in large and complex multijurisdictional transactions. Alun Evans has a particular focus on corporate and M&A deals in the country, while Giancarlo Sambalido, who is qualified in New York in addition to the Philippines, is another key member of the team. The firm’s client base includes global multinationals, major Philippine conglomerates, key entities in the energy and resources industry, major players in the FMCG and F&B industries, and leading international investment banks. Other significant practitioners of the department are Vicki Liu who leads on banking and finance work in the Philippines. Alexander Stathopoulos has significant experience in advising on a range of debt and equity capital market matters, and Sheila Ahuja has notable international arbitration expertise.

Practice head(s):

Alun Evans; Vicki Liu; Alexander Stathopoulos; Giancarlo Sambalido; Sheila Ahuja


Testimonials

A&O has a very good depth of talented lawyers. They work very well with clients and local law firms. They have developed valuable insights into key issues affecting their transactions, including even local law issues. This informs their approach to complex transactions, which makes them agile and their advice very commercial.’

‘Alun Evans is a very talented and hands-on lawyer. He works on some of the most complex transactions, and his mastery of the key issues, even particular issues in the local markets, make his advice extremely helpful. He and his team are very dedicated and quick to respond to clients’ queries.’

‘The team is very diverse and can offer a wide range of services to its clients. It’s a general service firm. Because of its depth, any concern of the client or any issue arising from a transaction can easily be addressed by people who are well-versed in the issue.’

Key clients

EdgeConnex


BDO Unibank, Inc


Emperador


BDO


BPI Capital Corporation


Ayalaland


 


Work highlights


  • Advised EdgeConnex on its joint venture with Aboitiz to acquire, develop, establish and operate data centre facilities and build a platform of carrier neutral data centre projects in the Philippines.
  • Advised BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO) as sole mandated lead arranger and bookrunner in relation to the PHP50bn debt financing for the acquisition by Frontier Tower Associates (FTA) of 3,539 telecom towers from Globe Telecom (Globe) in the Philippines.
  • Advised the issuer, Emperador Inc., on its secondary listing by way of introduction on the Mainboard of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited.

Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance has extensive experience in advising national and multinational clients on various complex transactions in the Philippines and covers a wide array of matters from banking, finance, and corporate to restructuring and project financing. Other core areas of expertise span capital markets work and dispute resolution, while the firm also has a large arbitration practice. Paul Landless, who is based at the Singapore office, specialises in structured finance, derivatives and other financial markets products; he leads the team jointly with Hong-Kong-based Cameron Hassall, who has considerable expertise in Asia related to international arbitration and litigation. Melissa Ng is also recommended.

Practice head(s):

Paul Landless; Cameron Hassall


Other key lawyers:

Melissa Ng


Key clients

Home Credit Group B.V.


ACEN Corporation


Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC)


Arran Investment Pte. Ltd., an affiliate of GIC


Navis Capital Partners


Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, Standard Chartered Bank and Barclays as Placement Agents


Barclays, ANZ and SCB


BNY Mellon


Work highlights


  • Advised Home Credit Group B.V. on its agreement to sell 100% of its Philippines and Indonesian consumer finance businesses to a consortium of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) affiliates, led by Krungsri Bank, in deals worth approximately €615m.
  • Advised the lenders on the $2.17bn ECA financing of the land development works for the first implementation phase of a new international airport to be developed in Bulacan near Manila, the Philippines.
  • Advised RCBC on an investment by SMBC into RCBC, which will allow RCBC to continue its digital efforts in creating innovative, inclusive, and interoperable digital solutions to complement SMBC’s outlook on digital transformation in the region.

Latham & Watkins LLP

Latham & Watkins LLP has an excellent reputation in the market for its work on some of the country’s biggest deals. It is skilled at handling inbound and outbound transactions, and has a strong capital markets practice, while the group is also often called upon to advise on major project financing matters, as well as on arbitrations and disputes. Practice head Benjamin Carale , is qualified in New York, the Philippines, and in Hong Kong, and leads on many of the firm’s most significant transactions, which often have substantial cross-border elements. Diana Dizon plays a pivotal role in various Philippine debt and equity capital markets transactions.

Practice head(s):

Benjamin Carale


Other key lawyers:

Diana Dizon


Key clients

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC)


Cebu Air, Inc.


Partners Group Holding AG


San Miguel Corporation (SMC)


Warburg Pincus Asia LLC


Robinsons Land Corporation


Megaworld Corporation


BPI Capital Corporation – Filinvest Land, Inc.


Synergy Grid & Development Phils Inc.


Credit Suisse


Milbank

Milbank covers the full spectrum of transactional work involving the Philippines from corporate and capital markets work to advising on major projects, which often have a significant cross-border dimension. Clients include top international financial institutions, and the firm regularly acts for the sponsors and lenders on these landmark deals. Hong-Kong-based James Grandolfo has a wealth of experience in capital markets, M&A, and private equity matters across Asia, and leads the team together with James Murray, who is based at the Singapore office and is particularly active in the Philippines on major power projects. Paul Pery plays a pivotal role in significant capital markets transactions. Another notable member of the practice is Desiree Woo who is active in the project, energy and infrastructure finance group and is based at the Hong Kong office.

Practice head(s):

James Grandolfo; James Murray


Other key lawyers:

Paul Pery; Desiree Woo; Jenny Zhang


Testimonials

‘What makes Milbank unique is their unwavering commitment to understanding our project inside and out. Their specialisation provides us with unparalleled access to legal expertise.’

‘We have worked with the infrastructure team who are well conversant with the industry practice and have high negotiation skills. Milbank uses cutting-edge technology that ensures efficiency and informed decision-making, while their collaborative culture means we benefit from a collective pool of knowledge.’

‘We also appreciate their commitment to diversity, which fosters client-centred and focused solutions customised for the client. Overall, Milbank’s blend of expertise, innovation, and client-centric values sets them apart in the legal world.’

‘The individuals I work with at Milbank truly stand out. Their expertise in our industry, like Desiree Woo and Jenny Zhang, and their dedication to our needs have been impressive. They explain complex legal matters clearly and work seamlessly together as a team. ‘

‘They are highly knowledgeable and hardworking and respond very timely. They also embrace new ideas and solutions that work best for us, staying ahead of the curve. Overall, it’s their industry knowledge, teamwork, and commitment that make them our trusted legal partners.’

‘Understand the requirements, thorough but easy to understand, and always find solutions.’

Key clients

Bank of America Merrill Lynch


Citi


Credit Suisse


CLSA


CLSA Exchange Capital, Inc.


Union Bank of the Philippines


HSBC


J.P. Morgan


DBS Bank Ltd.


ING Bank


Standard Chartered Bank


UBS


Asian Development Bank


GNPower Dinginin Ltd. Co


GNPower Kauswagan


PLDT Inc.


Globe Telecom Inc.


Filinvest Land, Inc.


Filinvest Land REIT Corp.


Monde Nissin Corporation


International Container Terminal Services, Inc.


BPI Capital Corporation


Atlantic Gulf & Pacific Group


DDMP REIT, Inc.


Okada Manila International, Inc.


Megaworld


SMC Global Power Holdings Corp.


Citicore Energy REIT


Synergy Grid & Development Phils., Inc.


AYC Finance Limited


ACEN Finance Limited


Work highlights


  • Advised telecommunications provider PLDT Inc. and its subsidiaries Smart Communications, Inc. and Digitel Mobile Phils., Inc. on the sale of 650 telecom towers and related passive infrastructure to Unity Digital Infrastructure Inc. for a consideration of approximately PHP9.2bn.
  • Advised telecommunications provider PLDT Inc. and its subsidiaries Smart Communications, Inc. (“Smart”) and Digitel Mobile Philippines, Inc. in the sale of 5,907 telecom towers and related passive infrastructure to subsidiaries of international groups, edotco Group and EdgePoint Infrastructure for PHP77bn.
  • Advised Globe Telecom Inc. in connection with a joint venture partnership with ST Telemedia Global Data Centres and Ayala Corporation for the development, construction and operation of data centre projects in the Philippines.

Pinsent Masons

Pinsent Masons MPillay advises a mix of government contracting authorities, ministries, investors and multilateral development agencies, as well as contractors, project sponsors, operators, suppliers and lenders. The group has a well-established track record of assisting clients with public-private-partnerships in relation to asset and service delivery, and is skilled at advising clients on a range of power and infrastructure transactions. Practice head James Harris has particular expertise in the infrastructure and energy sectors, while Bernard Ang is a senior projects partner who has in-depth knowledge of the waste and water industries. John YeapDavid Platt, and William Stroll are further key members of the team.

Practice head(s):

James Harris


Other key lawyers:

Bernard Ang; David Platt; William Stroll; John Yeap; Martin Bishop


Testimonials

‘Pinsent Masons has excellent lawyers specialising in diverse fields, including infrastructure, engineering and construction, who readily collaborate with each other to be able to provide good counsel to their clients on relevant issues/concerns.’

‘Bernard Ang shows genuine concern for his client and, with his deep understanding of the laws, contracts and nuances in construction, is able to provide wise advice.’

‘What sets them apart is their team who are specifically experienced in important Asia Pacific multilateral deals and are always sized right to ensure efficient service delivery and pricing.’

Key clients

Asian Development Bank (ADB)


The Philippines Department of Transportation


International Finance Corporation (IFC)


Work highlights


  • Advising Asian Development Bank on the design and development of an innovative $2.5bn Energy Transition Mechanism in Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
  • Advising Asian Development Bank on its lending assistance to Wyntron Inc for the development of the Wyntron Electric Vehicle Charger Production Expansion Project by way of a senior secured term loan facility.
  • Advising Asian Development Bank on the limited recourse project financing to the borrower Tiger Infrastructure Philippines Inc to support in the development, construction, and operations of up to 380 telecommunications towers in Philippines (particularly in Mindanao and Visayas islands).

Gibson Dunn

Gibson Dunn has an established reputation for its work on some of the most significant deals in the country. It is led by Patricia Tan Openshaw who focuses on project development, finance and M&A work, and has particular experience in advising on energy and infrastructure assets; she regularly represents developers, sponsors, contractors, lenders, government agencies and offtakers on their power, rail, toll road and water projects. Connell O’Neill advises clients throughout the Asia-Pacific region on corporate and commercial transactions with a particular focus on the information technology, media, and telecommunications sectors.

Practice head(s):

Patricia Tan Openshaw


Other key lawyers:

Connell O’Neill


Testimonials

‘The team are very diligent and can work extremely well under pressure. They are excellent M&A lawyers who are very up to date with regional regulatory and commercial developments and trends. Very commercial as well, on top of being excellent on legal matters.’

‘I value their responsiveness, thoroughness, swift action and strong point of view  – this is  clearly demonstrated by Patricia Tan Openshaw.’

‘It is a full service firm and you can always find the right people in the firm if things come up.’

Key clients

Manila Electric Company


Bank of the Philippine Islands


Landbank of the Philippines


SMC Mass Rail Transit 7, Inc. fka Universal LRT Corporation (BVI) Limited


San Miguel Holdings Corp.


I Squared Capital


AC Energy Holdings, Inc.


Republic of the Philippines


First Pacific Company Limited


RCBC Banking Corp.


Metropolitan Bank of the Philippines


Banco de Oro Universal Bank


PLDT Inc.


Metro Pacific Tollways Corp.


Herbert Smith Freehills LLP

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP fields a team which is particularly active in the energy and infrastructure space, drawing on a combination of expertise in Singapore and across the Asia Pacific region to advise on an array of matters. It receives a steady stream of instructions on a variety of project developments, commercial contracts, M&As and joint ventures, while the group is also adept at handling disputes. Toby Anderson and Glynn Cooper are at the helm of the practice, which is predominantly driven by investor, fund, sponsor and developer mandates. Adrian Cheng is the head of finance in Asia, and Irina Akentjeva is another key contact.

Practice head(s):

Toby Anderson; Glynn Cooper


Other key lawyers:

Irina Akentjeva; Adrian Cheng


Testimonials

‘Carefully walks clients through novel issues and transactions, listens to client needs, prompt responses, straightforward.’

‘Irina Akentjeva – highly skilled, simplifies complex concepts for the clients, practical advice, generous with ideas, straightforward.’

Key clients

BlackRock


Unity Digital Infrastructure


First Gen Corporation


Globe Telecom, Inc.


Energy Development Corporation


Work highlights


  • Advising BlackRock on its establishment of a Southeast Asia renewable energy platform, including the platform’s first investment in up to five large scale solar projects in the Philippines with total capacity of 1GW.
  • Advised Unity Digital Infrastructure on its acquisition of 650 telecommunication towers in the Philippines from PLDT Inc. (PLDT), through its subsidiaries Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) and Digitel Mobile Philippines (Digitel), for approximately $165m.
  • Advising First Gen Corporation on its project to build and operate the first LNG import terminal in the Philippines.

King & Spalding LLP

The practice at King & Spalding LLP covers all aspects of Asia’s energy, power and natural resources industries, as well as transport, infrastructure, and technology. It has deep experience in the Philippines, particularly across projects, disputes, M&A, financing and distressed investments. Wade Coriell  leads the firm’s disputes practice in Asia, while Andrew Brereton specialises in banking work including acquisition finance, structured lending, and project finance; he also has extensive experience in restructurings and corporate workouts. Elodie Dulac has niche expertise in investment treaty arbitrations.

Practice head(s):

Wade Coriell


Other key lawyers:

Aloysius Llamzon; Andrew Brereton; Elodie Dulac


Testimonials

‘Andrew Brereton is commercial and a skilled tactician. In a negotiation, he outmanoeuvres his peers.’

‘Depth of expertise across multiple jurisdictions.’

The K&S team’s ability to navigate the structure, anticipate multiple scenarios, and design creative solutions to protect the client’s interest stood out. They understand the commercial objectives and don’t get bogged down in legalese which makes them effective at negotiating.’

‘Transparent.’

‘Aloysius Llamazon is an absolute superstar with a first-rate legal mind and excellent client-management skills.’

‘The have a world-wide presence and can draw on both lawyers and experts across jurisdictions and subject matters.’

‘Wade Coriell is a standout litigator and has the unique ability to synthesise very complicated cases and present it persuasively in simple terms to arbitrators.’

‘Aloysius Llamzon is a scholarly pleader and advocate and able to present a client’s case – even its weak points – in best light. ’

Key clients

BW Gas


CarVal Investors LP


National Grid Corporation of the Philippines


Prime Energy Resources Development B.V. (formerly Shell Philippines Exploration B.V.)


Linklaters

Under the collective leadership of James McLaren, Philip Badge and Amit Singh, Linklaters has a dedicated Philippines desk which comprises eminent practitioners practising out of Singapore and Hong Kong. The team receives a regular flow of instructions on a broad range of high-profile mandates involving governments and international entities. It also enjoys an excellent relationship with major investment banks, international private equity houses and multinational corporates. Philip Badge is recognised for his expertise on complex cross-border structured finance transactions, and leads the team jointly with Amit Singh, who has considerable experience in the international capital markets, as well as head of energy and natural resources James McLaren. Sophie Mathur is another key figure and acts as Asia Head of corporate.

Practice head(s):

James McLaren; Philip Badge; Amit Singh


Other key lawyers:

Sophie Mathur


Key clients

Citi


Stonepeak


HSBC


Work highlights


  • Advised Citibank on the sale of its six consumer banking franchises in Southeast Asia and EMEA.
  • Advised Stonepeak on its $472m landmark acquisition of over 2000 towers from Globe Telcom in the Philippines.
  • Acted as special United States counsel to the Republic of the Philippines (“ROP”) in the preparation and filing of the Republic’s annual report on form 18-K followed by a new $7bn shelf registration statement with the US SEC.

Shearman & Sterling LLP

Shearman & Sterling LLP frequently works with prominent Philippine conglomerates on significant infrastructure and energy projects, as well as with international investors seeking to invest in the Philippines. Practice co-head Bill McCormack is a key member of the firm’s project development and finance practice, and regularly handles major energy and infrastructure projects, as well as acquisitions and disposals in the oil and gas sectors. Li Chen oversees a broad range of M&A, corporate and private equity matters in Greater China, Southeast Asia, and other regions around the world. Philip Cheveley left the firm in February 2023.

Practice head(s):

Bill McCormack


Other key lawyers:

Li Chen


Key clients

China Telecom Corporation


Dito Telecommunity Corporation, Inc


Aboitiz InfraCapital


ACEN Renewables


Work highlights


  • Advising Dito Telecommunity (Dito), as borrower on the financing of a multibillion telecommunications project.
  • Advised Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC), the infrastructure investment arm of the Aboitiz Group, in relation to its partnership with EdgeConneX to develop a data center platform in the Philippines to meet the ever rising demand for data usage.

Stephenson Harwood LLP

The team at Stephenson Harwood LLP represents a balanced mix of clients including banks, financial institutions, multinational corporations, private equity funds and airlines, frequently advising large listed and unlisted international businesses on optimal structures for their investments into the Philippines. In addition, the firm continues to assist clients with financing structures and large aircraft orders in Asia. The group also has significant private wealth capabilities. Practice head Tom Platts and Saugata Mukherjee form part of the core team. Jonathan Goacher joined in May 2023, while former co-head of the practice George Cyriac left the firm in the same month.

Practice head(s):

Tom Platts


Other key lawyers:

Saugata Mukherjee; Jonathan Goacher


Key clients

Cebu Pacific


TotalEnergies Renewables Asia Pte. Ltd.


Lyniate and Hg Capital


Cebu Air, Inc.


Work highlights


  • Advised Cebu Pacific on the sale and leaseback of seven Airbus A320-214 aircraft.
  • Advised the French-headquartered global energy player, TotalEnergies, on its complex joint venture and associated commercial arrangements with Japanese energy group, ENEOS, to develop onsite B2B solar distributed generation across Asia over the next five years.
  • Advised Lyniate and Hg Capital on a further fundraising round led by Hg, the manager of HgCapital Trust plc (HGT).

White & Case Pte. Ltd.

The corporate and M&A team as well as the debt finance practice at White & Case Pte. Ltd. have played a central role in some of the largest mandates in the region. Led by Matthew Osborne, the team’s recent experience has included advising Philippine corporates on their outbound investments. The group has also acted for various multinational companies and private equity firms on their investments in and cross-border activities across the region. In addition, its project development and finance team are regularly involved in a broad range of infrastructure and power projects. Senior associate Ostiane Goh-Livorness is another important contact who specialises in this area – she has a particular focus on the energy and resources sectors.

Practice head(s):

Matthew Osborne


Other key lawyers:

Ostiane Goh-Livorness


Key clients

RATCH Group


Macquarie Capital (Singapore) Pte. Limited


Phil-Tower Consortium Inc


FLOW Digital Infrastructure


Asian Development Bank


Work highlights


  • Represented the RATCH Group PCL on its $605m acquisition of the Nexif Energy Group, a renewable energy platform with wind, solar and hydro energy assets across the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Australia.
  • Represented FLOW Digital Infrastructure on its joint venture with AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp to develop carrier-neutral data centers across the Philippines.
  • Represented Macquarie Digital Tower Pte. Limited (“MacCap”) and Phil-Tower Consortium Inc. (“PTCI”) in its acquisition and financing of 1,350 telecommunications towers located primarily in the Philippine regions of Visayas and Mindanao from Globe Telecom Inc (Globe), and the construction of an additional build to suit towers.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Hong-Kong-based Jonathan Stone along with Rajeev Duggal, who is based in Singapore, jointly head the practice at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. The group continues to be busy working on some large M&A transactions and regularly handles a broad array of high-value cross-border work.

Practice head(s):

Rajeev Duggal; Jonathan Stone


Key clients

Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc.


Frontier Tower Associates Philippines Inc.


Work highlights


  • Advised Frontier Towers Associates Philippines Inc. on its $810m acquisition of telecom towers from Globe Telecom Inc.