Villaraza & Angangco: Sustaining 45 years of excellence

FOR almost 45 years, Villaraza & Angangco (V&A) has been a towering figure in the realm of law practice in the Philippines, actively playing crucial roles and counseling in significant cases, deals and policies that shape the business and political landscape in the country.Also known as The Firm, it has historically gone through seven government administrations, each with its own remarkable stories. One of these includes the deregulation of the telecommunications industry, a move that has largely benefitted the consumers.The Firm's persistent excellence is a result of meticulous planning and vision of the seven pillars of The Firm. The seven strong pillars of The Firm are: Atty. Arthur "Pancho" Villaraza, a name partner and an astute political and legal strategist; Atty. Raoul "Reggie" Angangco, a name partner also and a giant in corporate law; Atty. Sylvette Tankiang, a commercial and tax law specialist; Atty. Bienvenido "Bong" Somera Jr., an Intellectual Property Law leader; and high-stakes litigators, Attys. Alejandro Alfonso "Al" Navarro, Augusto "Gus" San Pedro Jr. and Thea Daep.Tankiang, The Firm's first female managing partner, sets the stage for inclusiveness, a stark reminder that there are no barriers in a competitive workplace, giving a clear representation of The Firm's leadership that continues to encourage and serve as an inspiration to many. Intellectual Property partners of Villaraza & Angangco are (from left) Danielle San Pedro, Bienvenido Somera Jr. (co-head), Antonio Miguel Lu, Mark Leo Bejemino and Katrina Doble (co-head). CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Nurturing conqueror Arthur ‘Pancho’ Villaraza mentors The Firm’s newest partners, including Mark Leo Bejemino, Danielle San Pedro and Antonio Miguel Lu of the Intellectual Property department, Rashel Ann Pomoy of the Litigation, and the Labor and Employment department as well as Mark Benjamin Yam, Ma. Carla Mapalo and Mandy Therese Anderson of the Corporate and Commercial Law department. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Villaraza & Angangco Labor and Employment lawyers are working hard for their clients. Pictured from left are Justinne Jose Ma. Atienza, Joselle Francisco, Rashel Ann Pomoy (deputy head), Honey Kyle Patrice Ledesma and Paolo Miguel Consignado. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO The Firm’s Litigation and Disputes team enjoys a well-deserved break over a spread of good food, embodying the balance of hard work and camaraderie. Shown in photo are Jeho Edric Fajardo, Phil Josef Mendoza, Theodore Joseph Jumamil, Antonio Rafael Ongkeko Jr., Raquel Wealth Taguian, Armand Kevin Mendoza, Pamela Rae Madrigal, Dianne Marie Roa-Oarde, James Michael Uaminal, Caleb Lauredo, Bianca Georgia Paloma and Tricia Kaye Tiburcio. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO The photo shows Arthur ‘Pancho’ Villaraza (left), chairman and chief executive officer of Villaraza & Angangco (V&A), and Raoul ‘Reggie’ Angangco, senior partner at V&A. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO A strategic succession plan for sustained excellence, Villaraza & Angangco (V&A)’s pillars embolden The Firm’s new-generation leaders, who will soon take on the mantle. The photo shows Danielle San Pedro (junior partner), Raquel Wealth Taguian (senior partner and head of Litigation), Juanito Sanosa Jr. (senior partner and head of Corporate and Commercial Law), Arthur Villaraza (name partner), Rashel Ann Pomoy, (junior partner and deputy head of Labor and Employment), Sylvette Tankiang (managing partner), Katrina Doble (junior partner and co-head of Intellectual Property) and Raoul Angangco (name partner). CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Leading lawyers and rising stars that drive innovation and excellence together are Villaraza & Angangco Corporate and Commercial Law department lawyers, namely (from left) Partner Mandy Therese Anderson, Senior Associate Winona Mariah Fajardo, and Partner Mark Benjamin Yam with Junior Associates Adrian Paul Mallari, Jeorge Chua Jr., Mona Sofia Casano and Ma. Samira Tacandong. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Leading figures of the Corporate and Commercial Law department of Villaraza & Angangco are photographed alongside emerging talent from the team. Shown in photo are (from left) Senior Associate Ira Mari Sembrano, Corporate and Special Projects head Juanito Sañosa Jr., Junior Associate Miguel Ruiz Tan, Name Partner Raoul Angangco, Junior Associate Rachelle Ann Go, Managing Partner Sylvette Tankiang, and Junior Partners Ma. Carla Mapalo and Carlo Augustine Roman. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO V&A further strengthens its solid foundation for a dynamic law firm by blending in the next-generation leaders through the leadership of Attys. Juanito Sañosa, Raquel Wealth Taguian and Katrina Doble, ably supported by versatile young lawyers, who have been thoroughly mentored by The Firm, and continue to be recognized internationally through various accolades. This approach is instrumental in The Firm's succession planning, aimed at producing high caliber transformational leaders.The success that accompanies V&A all this time is a result of hard work, determination and keen sense of politics with a strong work ethic, practiced by its founders, which has been cultivated further within the organization through the years, influencing its legal practitioners just the same and, therefore, creating achievers and performers in the process.V&A continues to be an attractive organization for newly minted lawyers, enabling it to recruit the best and brightest from the crop, who are then inculcated with the same ethos, setting the stage for V&A's future leaders.At an age of freelancing and the gig economy, where products and services may be obtained when one needs it, V&A continues to set itself apart by investing time, relationships and a culture of excellence in its leaders and partners, indicating how sustainability is very much alive in this organization.Looking forward, V&A steadfastly continues to build on its success in order to be ready for the next era of lawyers. A critical area that V&A focuses on is in helping foreign companies enter the country's shores, and the need for this capability cannot be stressed any further.The Philippines is forecasted to be the world's 16th economy by 2050, a projection that will certainly incentivize stakeholders, including foreign direct investors. V&A supports this economic forecast and targets to play a strategic role in the government's initiative to develop and progress through foreign direct investments, touching on vital industries such as financial and health services, construction, property development, information technology/telecommunications, mining and natural resources, logistics, public utilities, energy, manufacturing, and wholesale and retail trade, among others.This road map will ensure that V&A can continue the legacy, established by the founders, and bring it forward in the next decades to come.