AI Magazine Issue 7 2018

Acquisition International - Issue 7 2018 51 Founded in October of 1994, Poblador Bautista & Reyes (PBR) is a general practice and full-service law firm which specialises in civil, commercial administrative and criminal litigation. In June, Acquisition International Magazine named one of the firm’s founders, Alexander Poblador, the Leading Corporate Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year, for the Philippines, in the ongoing Leading Adviser Awards programme. On the back of his win, we spoke to Managing Partner, Mario Luza Bautista, to find out more behind PBR’s outstanding record of success in the Asian legal arena. hen it comes to attorneys, few have made more of a mark on the corporate landscape than Alexander Poblador. Since founding PBR in 1994, he has spear-headed extraordinary success in the fields of intellectual property, banking, securities, M&A, employment and commercial arbitration. His academic background stands as evidence to his natural talent and skill for exceeding expectations; obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude) and his Bachelor of Laws degree (cum laude and valedictorian) from the University of the Philippines in 1974 and ’78, he placed third in the 1978 Bar examinations. From there, he received his Master of Laws degree from the University of Michigan, and cemented his position as an active member of the legal community. Recent years have seen him named among industry-leading publications, institutions and journals as a key practitioner in the corporate, banking and finance sectors. Further, Alexander complements his legal work with key positions on the board of several corporations, including San Miguel Corp, where he is on the Board of Directors, and Alpha Aviation Group (Philippines). When it comes to Poblador Bautista & Reyes, Alexander, along with his fellow founding partners, have created a firm of outstanding repute, known throughout the region – and beyond- as one of the best law firms for litigation and dispute resolution Contact: Mario Luza Bautista, Managing Partner Company: Poblador Bautista & Reyes Law Offices Address: 5F SEDCCO 1 Building, 120 Rada corner Legaspi, Streets, Legaspi Village, Makati City, 1229, Philippines Website: www.pbr.com.ph Phone: 001 632 893 7623 Asia’s Leaders in Corporate Litigation W 1807AI09 cases. According to Bautista, PBR’s strength lies in its client services, “excellence in service and empathy to the client’s concerns are of utmost importance in achieving and maintaining success in the legal industry.” He continued, “PBR’s core principles are excellence, service and generosity to others. Thus, in undertaking each new case or project, its lawyers adhere strictly to these core principles. To ensure the client’s satisfaction, PBR makes it a point to determine at the start the client’s objectives and concerns for each new case or project.” This approach is a fundamental part of the firm’s plans for future growth, “PBR aims to develop and to promote its business primarily by continuing to provide excellent service to its clients, thereby enhancing its reputation in the industry through referrals by its existing clientele.” Not reserved for clients alone, this treatment extends to the firm’s employees, “as aforementioned, one of PBR’s core principles is generosity to others. This includes generosity to its legal and non-legal staff in terms of compensation and benefits. Also, we strive to maintain a working environment whereby all lawyers and non-legal staff treat each other like members of one family. As for the future aspirations of the business, Bautista speaks of growth and a need to fortify PBR’s position as the leading litigation firms in the Philippines, “PBR aims to strengthen its reputation in the industry as one of the best litigation firms in the country and to further enhance its corporate and commercial law practice not only in the country but internationally as well. Moreover, with the present administration’s emphasis to foster closer relations with China in particular, we hope to generate new referrals of clients from our existing Chinese clients in the Philippines and in China.” Asia’s Leaders in Corporate Litigation “PBR’s core principles are excellence, service and generosity to others. Thus, in undertaking each new case or project, its lawyers adhere strictly to these core principles.”