The Legal 500 - Asia Pacific (2021)

Antitrust and Competition - Tier 1
Banking and Finance - Tier 2
Corporate and M&A - Tier 3
Dispute Resolution - Tier 2
Labour and Employment - Tier 2
Projects and Energy - Tier 1
Real Estate and Construction - Tier 1
Tax - Tier 1
TMT - Tier 3

Leading Lawyers:
Anthony Gutierrez - Tax
Ben Yap - Dispute Resolution
Cesar Santamaria, Jr - Labour and Employment
Jaime Renato Gatmaytan - Projects and Energy, Real Estate and Construction
Jesus Paolo Protacio - Dispute Resolution

Next Generation Lawyer:
Annalisa Carlota - Projects and Energy
Vladi Miguel Lazaro - Labour and Employment

Rising Stars:
Katrine Paula Suyat - Labour and Employment, Corporate and M&A
Roxanne Tadique - Tax

Antitrust and Competition
Complimenting the firm's broader corporate practice, the competition and antitrust team at Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) has developed a strong merger control offering. The practice has recently expanded in scope and now also handles investigation work. The group has advised on the competition elements of several significant M&A deals in the food and drink, manufacturing and technology sectors. Founding partner Norma Margarita Patacsil is the key practitioner, while senior associates Jillienne Grace Sotto and Andrea Katipunan are other valued members of the team.

Projects and Energy 
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law)'s first-rate practice is sought out by energy companies, developers and banks to assist with a vast array of power and infrastructure projects, including airports, cement mills, liquefied natural gas terminals, power plants and rail systems. In a recent highlight, the team, which comprises experts in corporate, disputes and tax, advised First Gen Corporation on the development and maintenance of a new LNG facility. One of the founding partners of the firm, Jaime Renato Gatmaytan leads the corporate practice and advises on lending, security and financing for large infrastructure projects. Ben Dominic Yap, also a founding partner, leads on contentious work and has experience of both litigation and arbitration in a construction context. Annalisa Carlota is instructed on energy projects across Asia, including those financed by sovereign debt.

Real Estate and Construction 
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) has a strong reputation for advising on complex issues in the real estate field, handling issues relating to restrictions involving special classes of property, conversion of land to other uses and complex regulatory requirements. The group also has extensive construction experience, advising on projects for the construction of airports, cement mills, seaports and toll roads. Jaime Renato Gatmaytan maintains a truly international practice, having assisted developers and sponsors with tenders for large regeneration projects in China and Thailand. Albert Vincent Yu Chang and founding partner Norma Margarita Patacsil are corporate specialists; both advise companies active in the sector on IPOs, divestment of shares and fee deficiencies.

Tax
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) advises multinationals and domestic companies on tax matters, including providing assistance with the tax implications of transactions as well as representing clients in disputing tax assessments. The practice is led by Anthony Gutierrez, who acts in both contentious and non-contentious taxation matters. Roxanne Tadique is another key contact in the team, and also has a broad practice.

Banking and Finance
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) advises a client base of domestic and international banks on lending operations, including loan facilities and investments. The practice is led by Jaime Renato Gatmaytan, who also leads the firm's corporate and commercial team; elsewhere, Annalisa J. Carlota advises on project financing work across Asia.

Dispute Resolution 
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) provides 'balanced, sober and principled advice' on a wide variety of commercial litigation matters including contractual disputes, banking and securities issues, tax and corporate rehabilitation. Jesus Paolo Protacio co-leads the team and has a broad practice that spans complex, high-value disputes involving product liability, torts, land and the enforcement of foreign judgments. The firm also operates an extensive arbitration practice, most particularly in the manufacturing and energy sectors. Co-practice head Ben Dominic Yap is the key partner in this regard; Yap has previously been appointed by the ICC to act as a neutral expert in an arbitration governed by Philippine law.

Labour and Employment
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) acts for employers in contentious labour cases, as well as providing advice on a range of labour issues. The team is active in advising multinationals on ensuring that their hiring and contracting arrangements comply with domestic law, as well as on the employment implications of M&A and reorganisations. The practice is led by Cesar Santamaria Jr, who handles contentious and non-contentious matters; Vladi Miguel S. Lazaro is the other partner in the team and specialises in labour disputes. Associate Katrine Paula Suyat advises on issues including employment termination and employment policy handbooks.

Corporate and M&A
The corporate team at Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) advises clients on issues including the incorporation of new entities, structuring and legal audits. Capable of serving numerous sectors, the group is particularly active in the manufacturing, food and drink, technology and energy industries. Founding partner Jaime Renato Gatmaytan co-leads the team and advises on equity investments, share and asset acquisitions, security and other financing arrangements. Co-head Norma Margarita Patacsil's expertise extends beyond mainstream corporate work to competition law and antitrust issues. Deborah Sobrepeña-Lacson was promoted to partner in January 2020.

TMT
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) advises domestic and multinational clients on regulatory issues related to the use of telecoms equipment, online advertisements and cybersecurity. The firm also has a strong data privacy practice, providing training, audit assistance, document drafting and notification services. Mary Thel Mundin advises technology companies on a full range of commercial matters, including banking, investments and M&A. Deborah Sobrepeña-Lacson, who was promoted to partner in 2020, is another name to note.