Of late, the Republic of Philippines has undergone a serious metamorphosis, transitioning itself from being majorly an agricultural to service-based or manufacturing based economy. With a GDP of $435.7 billion as of 2023, the country has been growing at a yearly average of 6-7 percent since 2010, driven majorly by its dominance in the BPO vertical which employs a lion’s share of the nation’s talent. Adding on to this growth is the country’s strategic geographical location and foreign relations, wherein it is not only a member of numerous global bodies such as the UN, ASEAN, G-24, WTO, East-Asia Summit and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, but also has free trade agreements with many countries across the world such as China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
While this has positioned the Philippines as one of the fastest growing economies and most sough-after countries to operate a business in, it has led to a rise in legal disputes within the country’s business ecosystem, resulting in a heightened demand for expert corporate legal consultants.
Atty. Mario P. Narag, Jr., Founder & Managing Lawyer of Narag Law Office is one such legal professional who has created a niche for himself in the industry through his vast subject matter expertise, clear understanding the various intricacies of legal landscape, and most importantly, his almost immaculate track record of winning cases for his clients.
Educational & Professional Backdrop
Having completed his associate degree in Government Accounting & Auditing as a government scholar from St. Paul University, Mario took up his Accounting degree and then passed the CPA board exams. A strong believer of continuous learning and always eager to acquire more knowledge, he then pursued law from the University of La Salette,
completed Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate Management at the i-Academy and passed with flying colors the licensure examinations for a Real Estate Broker and a Real Estate Appraiser. Starting his career with then Arthur Andersen (now Ernst and Young), Mario then handled key auditory positions across firms such as PwC, SGV & Co. and Ionics Circuits, and then forayed into the insurance industry where he was Department Head of Operations & Claims for Philam Life (now AIA Philippines).
With such diverse qualifications and enriching industry experience as his foundational pillars, he set up his own law firm Narag Law Office in 2015. Some of his key areas of specialization include corporate law, criminal law, family law, taxation, and many others. He is also a Freemason and a Shriner.
“Since I was working as an employee of other organizations, I felt the two licenses that I had acquired at the time were being wasted. Thus, I started my own law practice in using an 18 meter2 bunker that used to be occupied by construction workers. However, my hard work paid off and I was able to rent a two-story office building after just two years of commencing our operations. While doing legal practice, I decided to go back to school and finished Real Estate Management which allowed me to take and pass two more board examinations, one for Real Estate Brokers and another for Real Estate Appraisers”, proudly says Mario.
Value-driven & People-centric Leader
A strong people management professional, Mario strongly believes in ensuring his employees’ growth as well alongside his own. Despite getting large number of applications even for a single vacancy in his firm, he follows very strict selection criteria and hires only the best candidates. Additionally, Mario is not only against illegal business practices such as bribery and advices his clients to do the same, but also rejects/breaks ties with any customer who wishes to get things done through illegal means. However, the primary differential factor that highlights him as a top-of-the-mind choice for any kind of legal aid is his extensive experience of being both an auditor and operations head of MNCs which instills a sense of trust among the customers.
Reminiscing an instance portraying how much clients appreciate his work, Mario elucidates, “Witnessing the efficiency of my services, one of my valued clients from the Newport World Resorts which is one of the largest hotel chains in the world, offered me a job as their in-house counsel. However, I declined their offer as I preferred to stay with my team of 15 lawyers and paralegals who relied on me for their livelihood. Thus, the client instead offered to assist me financially in getting space within their resort to open a new office. I feel lucky and very much grateful to receive such a heartwarming gesture from my client”.
Every law practitioner must ensure that he highlight his achievements such as cases won to the general public
Owing to such fine track record and industry benchmark practices, Mario has also been a member of numerous professional bodies such as the Institute of Internal Auditors, Government Association of CPAs, and the Life Insurance Claims Association of the Philippines. Further, he is an Internal Quality Auditor, Career Service Professional, and a Fellow of the Life Management Institute. Along with services numerous international clients, Mario has also been approached by lawyers from various countries such as Hong Kong, Thailand and Malaysia seeking help.
Journey Beyond & Words of Wisdom
As the sole proprietor of Narag Law Office presently, Mario plans to develop his company into a partnership firm comprising of 2-4 partners over the next couple of years so that they can take care of the business operation while he is away relaxing or travelling. Additionally, going forward, he will also focus on continuing his business practice in an ethical way, while simultaneously expanding his client base and achieving overall organizational growth.
“For an individual across any industry to be successful, it is paramount that people know his/her educational qualification, specializations/skills, and his/ her accomplishments. Thus, every law practitioner must highlight his/her achievements such as cases won to the general public. While using social media is no doubt a very effective way to do it and position yourself as the most sought-after partner for diverse legal requirements, make sure to not engage in any petty debates online. Most importantly, be an avid reader, as any acquired knowledge will someday come-in-handy in one way or another”, says Mario, advising upcoming legal professionals.
Atty. Mario P. Narag, Jr., Founder & Managing Lawyer, Narag Law Office
A certified public accountant, lawyer, real estate broker and a real estate appraiser, Mario is a seasoned legal professional with proven excellence in the areas of corporate law, criminal law, family law, taxation, and many other areas. Additionally, he was also a member of numerous professional organizations such as the Institute of Internal Auditors, Government Association of CPAs, and the Life Insurance Claims Association of the Philippines. He is also a Freemason and a Shriner.
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