SyCipLaw joins In-House Congress Manila 2015

July 21, 2015

SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw) joined the inaugural 2015 In-House Congress Manila last July 8 at the Makati Shangri-La. More than 100 in-house counsels from various local and multinational companies, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations attended the Congress.

2015IFLR Photo caption: (Left to right) ADB’s Christopher Stephens, Team Energy’s Leandro Remigio S. Amante, OCLP Holdings, Inc.’s Michael David I. Abundo III, Pacific Business Press’ Patrick Dransfield, Herbert Smith Freehills’ Kyle Wombolt, and SyCipLaw’sSimeon Ken R. Ferrer.

The opening plenary on “What Do In-House Counsel Truly Want?” was facilitated by Pacific Business Press’ Patrick Dransfield. ADB’s Christopher Stephens, OCLP Holdings, Inc.’s Michael David I. Abundo III, and Team Energy Corporation’s Leandro Remigio S. Amante shared the factors that influence their choice of external counsel and the issues and concerns they have had in dealing with external counsel. Herbert Smith Freehills’ Kyle Wombolt and SyCipLaw’s Simeon Ken R. Ferrer gave their perspectives as external counsel and how they try to address in-house counsel issues.

2015IFLR Photo caption: (Left to right) HKIAC’s Jay Santiago, ICC Asia’s Sylvia Tee, KLRCA’s Smrithi Ramesh, PDRCI’s Roberto Dio, SIAC’s Seok Hui Lim, and SyCipLaw’s Ricardo Ma. P.G. Ongkiko.

The practice area workshop on “Where do I Arbitrate? Pros and Cons of Various Arbitration Institutions” featured HKIAC’s Jay Santiago, ICC Asia’s Sylvia Tee, KLRCA’s Smrithi Ramesh, PDRCI’s Roberto N. Dio, and SIAC’s Seok Hui Lim going toe-to-toe to discuss the history, features, services and facilities offered, and by their respective arbitration institutions. The panelists also discussed the factors that in-house counsels should consider in selecting an arbitration institution, how parties can save costs and avoid delays, the process of selecting arbitrators, handling arbitrations with multiple parties and involving multiple contracts, and other issues. SyCipLaw’s Ricardo Ma. P.G. Ongkiko facilitated the panel.

Also at the Congress on behalf of the firm were SyCipLaw partners Hector M. de Leon, Jr., Carlos Roberto Z. Lopez, Philbert E. Varona and Jose Florante M. Pamfilo.