News & Updates

ACCRALAW acted as Philippine counsel to the joint lead managers and bookrunners (“JLMs”), Standard Chartered Bank, Citigroup Global Markets Limited and MUFG Securities Asia Limited in connection with the issuance by UnionBank of the Philippines of US$300 million senior unsecured notes (Notes) under its US$2 Billion Medium Term Notes Program. The Notes, rated Baa2 (Stable) by Moody’s, were issued at an aggregate principal amount of US$300 million and carries a fixed coupon rate of 2.125% p.a. payable semi-annually. It was listed on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited in October 2020.

Mr. George S.D. Aquino, a Partner of the Firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department, recently recorded his lecture entitled, “Trial and Pre-Trial Skills: Litigation in the Time of COVID-19” for the Ateneo School of Law’s Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) online seminars.

ACCRALAW Partner Jose Eduardo T. Genilo delivered a lecture on Patent Drafting for the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Philippine Council for Agriculture and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARD) Patent Master Class last 10 to 14 August 2020. He discussed how to draft patent specification and claims. He also talked about how patent claims relate to patent law and highlighted the importance of good patent claims.

In IP Asia’s article entitled “The coding lawyer decoded” published last 30 September 2020, ACCRALAW Partner John Paul M. Gaba was identified among the lawyers who have adapted to technological trends for the legal practice. What started as his early fascination in computer science has grown to a desire to study coding and programming.

The Asia Business Law Journal recognized eight (8) lawyers from ACCRALAW among the top 100 lawyers of the Philippines. The list is based on “extensive research conducted and nominations received from in-house counsel based in the country and elsewhere, as well as Philippine-focused partners at international law firms based outside the jurisdiction.”

ACCRALAW contributed the Philippine chapter of the Chambers International Arbitration Guide for 2020. The guide provides “expert legal commentary on tribunals, preliminary and interim relief, collection and submission of evidence, confidentiality, types of remedies, class actions, the New York Convention, and grounds for appeal and enforcement” in 47 jurisdictions worldwide.

ACCRALAW acted as Philippine counsel of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) in its issuance of US$300 million 6.50% non-cumulative subordinated Additional Tier 1 (AT1) capital securities. It is RCBC’s first AT1 offering and the first AT1 offering by a Philippine bank.

Enrique F. Nitura, a Senior Associate of the Firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department, was one of the speakers in the webinar entitled “The Future of Work From Home in Cybersecurity: Explained”. The webinar was part of the Technical Briefing Thursdays webinar series hosted by the Information Security Officers Group (ISOG). Mr. JP Dunning who leads McAfee’s Foundstone Services consulting for the Asia Pacific was also a speaker at the webinar.

Christopher Louie D. Ocampo, ACCRALAW’s Senior Associate, was one of the guest speakers at the International Development and Security Cooperation (IDSC) live podcast on 15 August 2020 on the topic of “The Future of Philippine Legal Profession: How Millennial Lawyers Will Reshape the Judiciary”.

ACCRALAW contributed the Philippine chapter of the International Comparative Legal Guide (ICLG) on Outsourcing for 2020. Written in question and answer format, ACCRALAW Managing Partner Emerico O. De Guzman and Partner Neptali B. Salvanera provided an overview of the regulatory framework, legal structure, and common terms of an outsourcing agreement.