Becoming a top legal adviser requires firms to go beyond giving solid legal advice and ensure timely completion of tasks. Asia Business Law Journal names the top firms in the Philippines for 2018. We have identified one law firm of the year

Sycip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan

Manila-based Sycip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw) is one of the most recognizable names in the Philippines’ corporate legal market. SyCipLaw has had a wonderful year, having worked on headline-grabbing deals such as Singaporean taxing hailing app Grab’s acquisition of US peer Uber’s Southeast Asian business in a deal worth approximately US$1.6 billion.

The firm also worked on the largest ever renewable sector deal, Global Infrastructures Partners’ (GIP) US$5 billion acquisition of Singapore’s Equis. SyCipLaw was also the adviser to Union Bank of the Philippines’ rights offering of up to 200 million common shares with an offer size of PHP10 billion (US$190 million).

The Grab-Uber deal, the largest deal of its kind in Southeast Asia, was a landmark case from a competition and antitrust perspective as it was the only transaction subjected to a motu proprio review (a case taken for review without notifications from either of the parties) by the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC). SyCipLaw in co-ordination with Grab developed voluntary commitments that the PCC accepted through the issuance of its commitment decision.