Ms. Baldonado has been a member of the Firm for over three decades, building a career in labor and litigation practice, founded on professional integrity and unwavering commitment to the rule of law.
Ms. Baldonado recently became a licensed Canon lawyer, having earned the degree Juris Canonici Licentiatus (J.C.L.) from the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, graduating magna cum laude. She successfully defended her licentiate thesis entitled “A comparative study of the factors affecting penal liability in Canons 1323, 1324 and 1326 and in Articles 11 to 15 of the Philippine Revised Penal Code and their relevance in canonical and Philippine civil law practice” as a requirement for the degree.
This rare combination of adequate knowledge in both Philippine civil law and canon law enables her to provide comprehensive legal counsel in matters where the two legal systems intersect, especially on matters involving marriage and family, Church governance, temporal goods, and penal law for misconduct both for the clergy and the other members of the People of God, including cases that may have corresponding civil, criminal, or administrative implications in both fora.
Her licentiate degree likewise qualifies her to serve in ecclesiastical tribunals as a Judge, Defender of the Bond, Advocate, and Procurator, among others. Her understanding of both legal systems allows her to navigate their distinct jurisdictions, procedures, and objectives with precision, ensuring that clients receive sound and effective representation in the appropriate forum. Her practice reflects a commitment to safeguarding the interests of her clients while upholding the primary goals of salus animarum for ecclesiastical law and restoration of justice for the State.
She was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1992 and is a member of the Rizal-San Juan-Mandaluyong Chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.