Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia

ESTABLISHED IN 2013

Total number of professionals: 80 (29 partners)
Principal office: Taguig

Key practice areas

Litigation & dispute resolution; corporate & special projects; IP; mining & natural resources/energy; infrastructure; transportation and public utilities; taxation; labour & employment; trade; technology, media & telecommunications; family law; competition; data privacy; fintech.

Our services

Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia (CMT) is a top tier full-service firm in the Philippines. Our services include, but are not limited to:

·Leading co-ordinated and multipronged litigation campaigns in public interest cases and in critical, high-stakes, and must-win commercial disputes;

·Conducting due diligence audits and assisting in drafting and negotiating agreements;

·Protecting, enforcing and commercialising IP rights;

·Providing counsel to companies in the mining and energy sectors regarding nationality and capitalisation requirements, government approvals and licences, and reviewing industry related agreements;

·Advising proponents in projects on mass transport, bulk water supply, toll roads, aviation (airports), shipping and logistics;

·Handling tax refunds, audits and administrative protests and applications for rulings from the Bureau of Internal Revenue; representing clients in tax litigation before courts, the Bureau of Customs, local boards of assessment appeals and the Central Board of Assessment Appeals;

·Compliance with labour requirements, including drafting and implementing contracts and handling labour relations between management and unions;

·Representing clients before the Department of Trade and Industry, the Tariff Commission, the Court of Tax Appeals, and the Bureau of Customs in connection with trade laws;

·Providing legal advice on matters involving telecommunications, media and technology (e.g. acquisitions of equity and assets) and representing clients before the National Telecommunications Commission, Department of Information and Communications Technology and Congress in securing licences, certificates of public convenience and franchises;

·Providing counsel related to family relations, such as pre-nuptial agreements and property relations, adoption and child custody, annulment of marriage, and estate planning;

·Representing clients in antitrust investigations and disputes, assisting with M&A mandates, and developing strategies to comply with competition law; and

·Providing legal services to fintech startups in developing their business.

With its roster of lawyers having qualifications in technical and specialised disciplines, including science, engineering, business, accounting, economics and information technology, CMT is able to provide legal advice with a deep appreciation of its clients’ needs. The lawyers’ diverse backgrounds and experience allow them to offer practical and efficient solutions complementing solid advice. CMT’s lawyers have also been cited for rendering advice that adds value to its clients’ business, by providing legal steps and options to protect the clients’ legitimate interests while advancing their business objectives.

CMT’s lawyers provide prompt and thorough services at reasonable fees. Deadlines are timely met and queries are adequately answered, leaving clients impressed, satisfied, and assured. CMT has been consistently highly ranked in various publications. Many of its lawyers have been recognised as among the top 100 lawyers in the Philippines.