Desiree Woo
Milbank
Milbank
Client SatisfactionMilbank covers the full spectrum of transactional work involving the Philippines from corporate and capital markets work to advising on major projects, which often have a significant cross-border dimension. Clients include top international financial institutions, and the firm regularly acts for the sponsors and lenders on these landmark deals. Hong-Kong-based James Grandolfo has a wealth of experience in capital markets, M&A, and private equity matters across Asia, and leads the team together with James Murray, who is based at the Singapore office and is particularly active in the Philippines on major power projects. Paul Pery plays a pivotal role in significant capital markets transactions. Another notable member of the practice is Desiree Woo who is active in the project, energy and infrastructure finance group and is based at the Hong Kong office.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'What makes Milbank unique is their unwavering commitment to understanding our project inside and out. Their specialisation provides us with unparalleled access to legal expertise.'
- 'We have worked with the infrastructure team who are well conversant with the industry practice and have high negotiation skills. Milbank uses cutting-edge technology that ensures efficiency and informed decision-making, while their collaborative culture means we benefit from a collective pool of knowledge.'
- 'We also appreciate their commitment to diversity, which fosters client-centred and focused solutions customised for the client. Overall, Milbank's blend of expertise, innovation, and client-centric values sets them apart in the legal world.'
- 'The individuals I work with at Milbank truly stand out. Their expertise in our industry, like Desiree Woo and Jenny Zhang, and their dedication to our needs have been impressive. They explain complex legal matters clearly and work seamlessly together as a team. '
- 'They are highly knowledgeable and hardworking and respond very timely. They also embrace new ideas and solutions that work best for us, staying ahead of the curve. Overall, it's their industry knowledge, teamwork, and commitment that make them our trusted legal partners.'
- 'Understand the requirements, thorough but easy to understand, and always find solutions.'
Key clients
- Bank of America Merrill Lynch
- Citi
- Credit Suisse
- CLSA
- CLSA Exchange Capital, Inc.
- Union Bank of the Philippines
- HSBC
- J.P. Morgan
- DBS Bank Ltd.
- ING Bank
- Standard Chartered Bank
- UBS
- Asian Development Bank
- GNPower Dinginin Ltd. Co
- GNPower Kauswagan
- PLDT Inc.
- Globe Telecom Inc.
- Filinvest Land, Inc.
- Filinvest Land REIT Corp.
- Monde Nissin Corporation
- International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
- BPI Capital Corporation
- Atlantic Gulf & Pacific Group
- DDMP REIT, Inc.
- Okada Manila International, Inc.
- Megaworld
- SMC Global Power Holdings Corp.
- Citicore Energy REIT
- Synergy Grid & Development Phils., Inc.
- AYC Finance Limited
- ACEN Finance Limited
Work highlights
- Advised telecommunications provider PLDT Inc. and its subsidiaries Smart Communications, Inc. and Digitel Mobile Phils., Inc. on the sale of 650 telecom towers and related passive infrastructure to Unity Digital Infrastructure Inc. for a consideration of approximately PHP9.2bn.
- Advised telecommunications provider PLDT Inc. and its subsidiaries Smart Communications, Inc. (“Smart”) and Digitel Mobile Philippines, Inc. in the sale of 5,907 telecom towers and related passive infrastructure to subsidiaries of international groups, edotco Group and EdgePoint Infrastructure for PHP77bn.
- Advised Globe Telecom Inc. in connection with a joint venture partnership with ST Telemedia Global Data Centres and Ayala Corporation for the development, construction and operation of data centre projects in the Philippines.
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
James Grandolfo, James Murray