Jan22686 Feb22538 APAC Insider- APAC Legal Awards 2024 | 12 Siguion Reyna Montecillo & Ongsiako Law Office (SRMO) was founded in 1901 – back when the Philippines was still a colony of the US – making it the oldest continuously operating law firm in the country today. With more than 120 years’ worth of experience under its belt, SRMO continues to exist at the forefront of the modern legal sphere, and we have the pleasure of speaking to Senior Partner German Q. Lichauco II to find out more about this leading law firm. As a multidisciplinary and full-service firm that expertly blends traditional values with modern thinking, SRMO is the meeting point between professional excellence and cutting-edge, outside-thebox legal thought. Not only does SRMO, the top litigation firm in the Philippines, hire its lawyers based on their academic prowess and highlevel degrees from some of the world’s most acclaimed academic institutions, it also prizes their ability to seek out profound and unconventional solutions to the problems faced by this sector. Initially founded by two American lawyers at the turn of the 20th century, it would not be until 1936 that this firm – then known as Dewitt, Perkins and Ponce Enrile – would become entirely Filipino. 1948 saw Leonardo Siguion-Reyna and Manuel Montecillo, two of the three name partners, enter the fold, and they both became general partners in 1961. Both of these men continued their work until passing away in 2010 and 2011 respectively, joining the third name partner, Oscar Ongsiako, who himself passed away in 1995. With the legacy of these great men on their shoulders and their photos lining the walls of the offices, the team at Siguion Reyna Montecillo & Ongsiako Law Office dutifully fulfil their obligations to continue a tradition of excellence that was started many decades ago. Nobody is more embracing of this task than German Q. Lichauco II, one of SRMO’s Senior Partners and a man whose more than 30-year legal career has seen him handle cases from construction and commercial arbitration to business torts and contractual controversy. Leveraging a wide-ranging skillset and a wealth of firsthand experience, it is no surprise that, along with being a highprofile litigation and arbitration expert, German is both an intra-corporate dispute and hostile takeovers expert, as well a corporate governance law expert. This textbook lawyer is himself a reflection of the firm’s staff as a whole, and with team members boasting an array of specialty areas, SRMO’s full-service approach is just that, spanning everything from dispute resolution and litigation to banking, insurance, data privacy law, immigration law, employment law, property law, and tax/estate planning. Offering such a full range of legal services is just one of the many defining elements of SRMO’s operation, with its encompassing knowledge positioning it as a frontrunner in a legal setting that is particularly dynamic. Speaking on behalf of the company, German tells us, “the unpredictability of the legal profession, especially in litigation, is both a challenge and an opportunity.” He continues, “on one hand, this unpredictability is a challenge because it involves navigating the uncertainties of everchanging laws, regulations, and client needs, as well as the unpredictable nature of opponents’ strategies and the circumstances surrounding each case. At the same time, [we] see this as an opportunity because it allows [us] to develop innovative, cuttingedge solutions and strategies to address complex issues.” And these complexities keep on coming in the Philippines’ evolving legal landscape, most recently as a result of major amendments to the Philippine Tax Code, as well as significant updates to the Department of Justice’s rules concerning criminal investigations. Moreover, all of these developments have taken place against the backdrop of the increased integration of technology into legal settings, with the likes of electronic filing changing the way that this century-old firm is having to work so as to not get left behind. “To stay ahead”, German explains, “we continuously train our lawyers to stay current with the latest legal developments. We combine our time-tested strategies with adapting to these significant changes, allowing us to offer our clients the most up-to-date and proven effective legal advice.” Not only is this highcalibre guidance incredibly rewarding for clients of the top litigation law firm in the Philippines, but it is also highly satisfying for German and the team, who know that the lasting impact that they are having is changing lives for the better. Sitting atop exactly 123 years of legal excellence, SiguionReyna Montecillo & Ongsiako Law Office’s commitment to continuing to push the boundaries in litigation law and beyond makes it more than deserving of this award. Contact Details Contact: German Q. Lichauco II Company: Siguion-Reyna Montecillo & Ongsiako Law Office Web Address: https://srmo-law.com Most Cutting-Edge Multi-Disciplinary Law Firm 2024 - Philippines Jul24395
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