From the economic slowdown caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic, the Philippines has demonstrated extraordinary resilience and emerged as one of the fastest growing economies in the Southeast Asian region. On the back of the Philippine Government’s public infrastructure and incentive programs, the Philippines has ascended to No.93 in the World Bank’s ‘Ease of Doing Business’ ranking. All these factors have reinforced the Philippines’ standing as a preferred business hub and investment destination. Under this backdrop arises the need for competent and reliable legal professionals who could guide businesses and corporations navigate the Philippines’ legal and business environment as well as public policy and institutions.
Standing ready to address that need is Jose Miguel ‘Miko’ C. Palarca, Managing Partner of the Palarca & Baluyut Law Offices (PABLAW). Strategically located in the middle of Metro Manila, PABLAW was co-founded in 2019 by Miko Palarca and Cesar M. Baluyut, two highly experienced and well-regarded legal professionals in their respective fields, with a vision to provide first-rate and quality corporate legal services and solutions tailored to each client’s specific needs.
“I feel privileged to graduate from the University of the Philippines College of Law, which is the most prestigious institution for legal education in the country where teachers are dedicatedly working towards creating great lawyers of the future. My experience there has equipped me with diverse skill sets that have enabled me to successfully traverse through the diverse complexities of the legal world”, says Miko.
One-stop-shop for All Legal Requirements
Under Miko’s able guidance, PABLAW has grown significantly since its founding and evolved into a full-service law firm, enlarging the scope of its practice areas and fields of specialization which now include Corporate & Business
Law, Litigation, Dispute Resolution, Labor Relations, Immigration, and Intellectual Property. Additionally, the company also provides advisory services to a diverse clientele covering accounting & taxation, banking & finance, contract creation & review, due diligence, estate settlement, property acquisition & development, real estate & property conversion, risk assessment, and trade & investments.
In his current role as the Managing Partner of PABLAW, Miko handles a 50-member strong team, 20 of which are lawyers. His primary responsibility includes building the firm’s reputation in the market with a focus on engaging larger clients into its portfolio to ensure the firm’s sustained growth and development. Moreover, he oversees the various critical functions of the organization and is primarily responsible for ensuring the entire team is motivated.
“At PABLAW, we believe in treating our clients with respect, compassion, and understanding. We understand that every client is unique and has different needs, and we work hard to tailor our approach accordingly. We pride ourselves in our ability to efficiently navigate and leverage the idiosyncrasies of the Philippine regulatory environment to the benefit of our clients. Our clients span a large range of industries, giving us the experience to ensure that our Firm’s lawyers are capable of addressing a vast range of issues and concerns that our clients may bring to us”.
Recipe for Success
Miko’s journey to becoming a recognized and well-regarded legal practitioner is built on hard work and a steadfast dedication to providing exemplary service to his clients. Starting out as an associate in a couple of law firms, Miko gained the needed experience, skills and network which would later on prove useful and valuable as he set up his own legal practice. Over the years, Miko has endeavored to keep abreast of the latest developments in the legal profession, not only so that he and his firm could better serve the needs of his clients, but also to impart knowledge to his students at the University of the Philippines College of Law where he is part of the faculty.
Irrespective of how many awards you’ve been conferred with in the past, in the legal profession, you’re only as good as the last pleading that you’ve signed
When asked about what his advice is to young people aspiring and eager to join the legal profession in the future, Miko says, “Irrespective of how many awards you’ve been conferred with in the past, in the legal profession, you’re only as good as the last pleading that you’ve signed. Thus, ensure to put in your best efforts in everything you do. Whatever ideologies or ethics that you had during/after law school, ensure to always stick to them. Also, make sure upgrade your skills on a continuous basis so that you don’t miss out on any opportunities when they come up. Most importantly, be patient and never lose your moral compass”.
Taking to heart Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’ famous quote ‘The business of a law school does not teach law or make lawyers, but to teach law in a grand manner and make great lawyers’, Miko intends PABLAW to be a place where lawyers are honed to serve clients with a high standard of excellence, all the while remaining a law firm with conscience. Going forward, he envisions PABLAW to be at the forefront of bringing positive change in the world by touching the lives of as many lawyers as possible and encouraging them to become the harbingers of change in society.
Jose Miguel C. Palarca, Managing Partner, PABLAW
A graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Law, Miko has more than 20 years’ experience in banking and finance, corporate law, foreign investments, governance and compliance, mergers and acquisitions, taxation as well as dispute resolution.
On top of his successful legal practice, he is also a professor at the University of the Philippines College of Law and a supervising lawyer at the institution’s Office of Legal Aid.
We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Read more...
.jpg "Technology in Cancer Care: A story of evolving paradigms")
.jpg "Bringing Shop Floor to Manufacturer's palm: Smart Factory Solutions for tomorrow")
