John Jerico Balisnomo heads the practice at Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia, which has a stellar reputation in the market. It is particularly well-regarded for its work across commercial, tax, banking and administrative litigation, as well as for its expertise in all aspects of regulatory contentious matters. The group also excels in alternative dispute resolution and insolvency proceedings. In addition, it has a strong appellate practice. Rodel Cruz represents a wide range of clients from leading companies and conglomerates to high-net-worth individuals. Senior partner Miguel Silos is another leading figure who has a strong track record in cases involving bank fraud and debt restructuring. Silos is also recognised for his work on cases relating to international trade, taxation and other forms of civil and criminal litigation. Simeon Marcelo is another name to note.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The team are very friendly, you can ask anything you want. You can learn from the team. They listen carefully and give you not only what you need to know but what needs to be done.’

  • ‘The CMT team stands out for its professionalism and ease in communication. They are always ready to talk to us and come up with solutions. ’

  • ‘Miguel Silos is consistently reliable and presents practical options to problems.’

  • ‘The depth of the team’s experience in the practice and the members’ ability to give comprehensive advice that covers the practical aspects of the proceedings and the various approaches available, make this practice group of Cruz Marcelo Tenefrancia very competitive.’

  • ‘The attentiveness and the consideration of the client’s particular circumstances in crafting advice. ’

  • ‘The team is very responsive, and does not have your typical big law firm mentality of sending four to five lawyers for every case handled, and charging you hourly rates for all the four to five lawyers. You get good service of a big law firm, without the big charges that come with many big law firms.'

  • ‘The following are all exceptional service-oriented lawyers: Victor Emmanuel M. Pangilinan and Miguel U. Silos.'

Key clients

  • Ayala Corporation
  • Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association
  • Secur Links Network and Technologies, Inc.
  • Unicapital, Inc.
  • Alpha Plus Property Holdings Corporation
  • Dole Food Company, Inc.
  • Max’s Group, Inc.
  • Yujuico Group of Companies
  • Union Bank of the Philippines
  • Redco Properties Group Ltd

Work highlights

  • Represented Unicapital, Inc in a case against a Philippine medical services corporation and its former president/CEO for the non-payment of a loan that was obtained through false representations.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

John Jerico Balisnomo  

Other key lawyers

Rodel Cruz, Miguel Silos, Simeon Marcelo, Victor Emmanuel Pangilinan