Carlos Roberto Z. Lopez is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He specializes in dispute resolution and commercial arbitration. His areas of practice include litigation (civil, criminal and administrative), intra-corporate disputes, international commercial arbitration, patent infringement, estate proceedings, local taxation, mining, and general corporation law.
The ‘organised and thorough’ team at SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan is ably led by Ricardo Ma. P.G. Ongkiko. It represents foreign and local clients from a wide range of industries, and has a particularly strong appellate and Supreme Court practice. The group has been involved in numerous landmark commercial cases in the Supreme Court in recent years too. In addition, it has a first-class arbitration practice, and frequently represents clients before various administrative agencies. Carlos Lopez has particular experience in high-value intra-corporate disputes and commercial arbitration. Ma. Patricia Paz-Jacoba has a vast array of experience in complex commercial contract, intra-corporate and shareholders’ disputes. Paz-Jacoba is also highly regarded for her work on white-collar crime investigations and prosecutions. John Regalado specialises in commercial arbitration.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Very good team with very experienced individuals.'
'Ma. Patricia B. Paz-Jacoba – great to work with and gives very good advice.’
‘The team are able to navigate through the difficult litigation process.’
‘The breadth and depth of the team's expertise makes SyCipLaw a one-stop shop that provides clients with a high level of confidence that all bases are covered, all available options are thoroughly considered, and relevant risks are meticulously identified and addressed accordingly.’
‘The SyCipLaw members that I have worked with for over two decades share that passion, candour and professionalism to provide only quality and on-time service to their clients. They are forthright in their engagements, always making sure that our rights and interests are enforced and protected to the full extent of the law.’
‘Competent; proactive; accessible; patient; intuitive; great attention to detail.’
‘The professionalism of SyCip Law is impeccable. It has successfully built a relationship of trust with us and sustained a collaborative spirit in working with our organisation.’
‘Ma. Patricia Paz-Jacoba has been an exceptional colleague who has attended to our needs with high-quality client service and reliable expertise.’
Key clients
- First Pacific Company Ltd.
- Citibank
- PLDT, Inc.
- Philex Mining Corporation
- Manila Electric Company
- Metro Pacific Investments Corporation
- Philippine Stock Exchange
- OceanaGold
- Dow Chemical
- Maynilad Water Services, Inc.
- Chamber of Mines of the Philippines
- Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corporation
- Manila North Tollways Corporation
- North Luzon Expressway Corporation
- Pacific Ores Metals & Chemicals
- Philippine Gold Processing & Refining
- Keppel Group of Singapore
- Cal Energy / CE Casecnan Water and Energy Co., Inc.
- Ormat Power
- San Roque Power
- Del Monte
- BMW AG
- Ford Motor Company
- Volkswagen AG
- United Coconut Planters Bank
- Bank of America
- Export-Import Bank of the United States
- Bank of the Philippine Islands
- Filminera Resources
- Philip Morris
- Jet Aviation (Hawker Pacific)
- NSC Holdings
- Mitsubishi Corporation
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
- Marubeni Corporation
- Tokyu Construction
- Toyo Construction
- Hilton International
- Delta Airlines
- Qatar Airways
- Grolier International
- Wyeth
- Colgate-Palmolive
- Makati Medical Center
- Asian Hospital and Medical Center
- Adelaide and Meath Hospital
- Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
- AkzoNobel PNG Ltd
- GIC
- Kia Motors
- Grab Holdings, Inc. (MYTAXI.PH)
- Chevron
- Philippine Geothermal Production Co., Inc.
- Delta Design Philippines LLC (Cohu)
- ACG Automotive Philippines, Inc.
- NTT Docomo, Inc.
- JLL Mortgage Services Pty. Ltd
- Astronergy Solar Philippines, Inc.
- Integrated Marketing Services, Inc.
- Johanna Subic Seafoods Corporation
- Johanna Seafoods Ltd
- Nokia Shanghai Bell Co., Ltd
- Globe Telecom, Inc.
- KEB Hana Bank
- Mabuhay Interflour Mill, Inc.
- Huang Hsiang Development Corporation
- Prinpia Co., Ltd
- Vibal Group
- Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation
- ICCP Land Management Inc.
- Wirecard AG
- d&b audiotechnik GmbH
- Aspen Philippines, Inc.
- Light Rail Manila Corporation
- BAM International sarl
- Firstsource Solutions Ltd
- Fordays Japan International Inc.
- hibu (UK) Ltd
- Telus International Phils., Inc.
- UPS Asia Group Pte Ltd
- Western Mindanao Power Corporation
- Western Shipping Pte. Ltd.
Work highlights
- Representing The Manila Electric Company (MERALCO), the country’s largest power distributor, against a petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General in the Supreme Court assailing the validity of a settlement agreement between MERALCO and the National Power Corporation, a government owned and controlled corporation.
- Defended officers of Hawker Pacific Asia (now Jet Aviation) against charges of conspiracy and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019) in relation to contracts to inspect and overhaul Bell 412 helicopters of the Office of the President of the Philippines. The charges were dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman and the dismissal was upheld by the Supreme Court.
- Representing Barrick Gold Corporation and Placer Dome, Inc in their defence against a petition for a writ of kalikasan filed by certain individuals supported by their provincial government.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
John Regalado is a partner in SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan. He is a member of the firm’s Litigation and Arbitration practice group, and has been been cited as a Next Generation Lawyer (2019, 2018, 2017) and a Next Generation Partner and Recommended Lawyer (2020) for Dispute Resolution by the Legal 500 Asia Pacific. Mr. Regalado specializes in commercial arbitration, having represented clients in disputes before the International Chamber of Commerce-International Court of Arbitration, the Philippine Construction Industry Arbitration Commission, ad hoc arbitral tribunals, and the Philippine courts in applications for interim relief. Mr. Regalado is experienced in commercial and criminal litigation, and he has handled and tried cases before the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Court of Tax Appeals, Sandiganbayan, trial courts, the Department of Justice, and prosecutors’ offices. He also specializes in product liability cases and has successfully defended, and continues to represent, an international automobile manufacturer in product liability suits filed by consumers before (1) the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry and trial courts, and (2) prosecutors’ offices for crimes arising out of alleged violations of consumer laws. Mr. Regalado is also a member of the firm’s Special Projects and Tax practice groups. His corporate practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, and foreign investments.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Ricardo Ma. P.G. Ongkiko