SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw) won the inaugural Antitrust & Competition Team of the Year Award at the Legal 500 Southeast Asia Awards 2020/21 held on November 25, 2021.
The Legal 500 Southeast Asia Awards 2020/21 recognizes legal teams and individuals in Southeast Asia whose work have exceeded expectations and raised standards over the past 24 months.
SyCipLaw, which is one of the largest law firms in the Philippines, bested other firms in Southeast Asia in the Antitrust & Competition category at the Legal 500 Southeast Asia Awards 2020/21.
Although the firm has had extensive experience in providing antitrust and competition advice, the firm's antitrust & competition practice expanded when the Philippine Competition Act (PCA) was enacted in 2015. With the adoption of the mandatory merger control regime, SyCipLaw has been heavily involved in merger filings in the Philippines in relation to regional and global deals involving large multinational companies in various industries including the pharmaceutical, transportation, technology, energy, aviation and manufacturing sectors.
In addition, SyCipLaw advises on the competition elements of vertical agreements including resale price restrictions, exclusivity and non-compete provisions, and sole supply arrangements. More recently, SyCipLaw has been providing advice on investigations and enforcement matters.
Arlene Maneja and Franco Aristotle Larcina are the team's key practitioners. Ms. Maneja participated in the policy discussions that led to the introduction of the PCA and has conducted competition law trainings for clients, while Mr. Larcina has experience in dealing with vertical arrangements and abuse of dominance issues. Both of them have led teams involved in significant merger control filings.
Ms. Maneja and Mr. Larcina explained more about SyCipLaw's experience in Antitrust & Competition in an interview by The Legal 500, which is accessible via this link.
The firm was also shortlisted in the following categories:
- Corporate and M&A Team of the Year (Southeast Asia)
- Labour and Employment Team of the Year (Southeast Asia)
- Maritime or Transport Team of the Year (Southeast Asia)
- Law Firm of the Year (Philippines)
The Antitrust & Competition Team of the Year Award was accepted on behalf of SyCipLaw by Rocky L. Reyes, Partner and Head of Special Projects. To watch The Legal 500 Southeast Asia 2020/21 Awards, click here.