Gulapa Law

After practicing in Manila, Singapore, Vietnam, Tokyo, and New York for more than 12 years, Aris Gulapa set up Gulapa Law Office in September 2015. In 2017, the firm admitted two new partners and is now known as “Gulapa & Quicho (Gulapa Law)”.

Within a short period, Gulapa Law was recognized by international publications (IFLR, Legal500, ALB, AsiaLaw Profiles, ABLJ) as a leading firm in construction/real estate, corporate/M&A, projects/energy, and competition/antitrust. The firm was named one of the “Firms to Watch” and “Best Boutiques” in 2017 by ALB.

Gulapa Law became the first Philippine firm to set up an office in New York in 2017 and San Francisco in 2018. 

Energy and Infrastructure key contacts

Head (Infrastructure)
Aris L. Gulapa
aris.gulapa@gulapalaw.com

Head (Energy)
Charmaine Rose K. Haw-Lim
charms.haw@gulapalaw.com

Quick facts

Established in 2015 as a sole proprietorship intended to focus on infrastructure/construction work, Gulapa Law Office converted into a full service partnership with the name “Gulapa & Quicho (Gulapa Law)” upon admission of two new partners in 2017.

Aris L. Gulapa heads the Infrastructure department while Charmaine Rose K. Haw-Lim heads the Energy department.  Prior to setting up the firm in 2015, Aris worked on important PPP/PFI projects in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Japan for more than 12 years, particularly hospitals, townships, and seaports.  Charmaine worked closely with Aris in their former firm on various PPP projects in the Philippines, including airports, seaports, toll roads, and rail projects.

Out of the firm’s 18 lawyers (with 5 more joining this year), 8 lawyers are dedicated to Energy and Infrastructure work.  Each member of the team, including the younger associates, has been involved in at least 10 infrastructure projects.

Practice overview

The firm represents bidders in almost every flagship infrastructure project and government contract in the Philippines — from air to land to water.  Since its establishment in 2015, the firm has been involved in more than 25 energy and infrastructure projects in the Philippines.  

The firm’s recent recognitions and wins in Energy and Infrastructure include: 

• Construction & Real Estate (Recommended Law Firm); Projects & Infrastructure (Recommended Law Firm) (Asialaw Profiles 2017) 
• Real Estate & Construction (Tier 1); Projects & Infrastructure (Tier 2) (The Legal500 2018) 
• Projects, Energy & Infrastructure, Aris L. Gulapa (Band 3) (Chambers & Partners Asia, Chambers & Partners Global 2018)
• Real Estate & Construction, Aris L. Gulapa (Leading Individual) (The Legal500 2018) 
• Corporate/M&A, Aris L. Gulapa & Charmaine Rose K. Haw-Lim (Recommended Individuals) (The Legal500 2018)   
• Top 100 Lawyers in the Philippines, Aris L. Gulapa (Asian Business Law Journal 2018)
• One of the Commended External Counsels of the Year, Aris L. Gulapa (Asian Mena, 2017)
• Nominee for Young Lawyer of the Year, Rico Paolo R. Quicho (Philippine Law Awards, Asian Legal Business 2017)
• Nominee for Woman Lawyer of the Year, Charmaine Rose K. Haw-Lim (Philippine Law Awards, Asian Legal Business 2016)

Sector expertise

• Energy (renewable and alternative energy, generation and distribution)
• Social infrastructure (bus terminals)
• Transport (road, rail, and airports)
• Telecommunications infrastructure
• Utilities (sewage and water)

Recent matters advised on

• Acting as counsel to the super consortium of Aboitiz, Ayala, Filinvest, JG Summit, Megaworld, Metro Pacific, and AEDC in relation to their unsolicited proposal for the financing, design, rehabilitation, construction, and operation and maintenance of the US$1.85 billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4).  The consortium has been granted original proponent status.  
• Representing an affiliate of Megaworld Corporation in its submission to the Department of Transportation of an unsolicited proposal for the financing, design, construction, and operation and maintenance of the US$160 million Guadalupe-Uptown Skytrain Project.  The consortium has been granted original proponent status.  
• Advising the Asian Development Bank (“ADB”), the transaction advisor of the Philippine National Oil Company, on the development of the Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal Project.  
• Advising the ADB, the transaction advisor of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (“BCDA”), on the development of the US$240 million National Government Administrative Center.  
• Advising the International Finance Corporation, the transaction advisor of the BCDA, on the US$212 million Clark International Airport Development PPP Project.
• Representing Manila Water on its bid for the financing, design, development, and operation of the New Clark City Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Project undertaken under the BCDA Joint Venture Guidelines.
• Assisting the Ayala and SM groups in their submission of an unsolicited proposal for the construction and operation of the C3 Expressway Project.
• Advising a US-based investor on its potential entry into the telecommunications (infrastructure) sector.

Other offices

New York Office
Gulapa & Baclay LLP
12^th Floor, 1115 Broadway
(25^th and Broadway)
New York, NY 10010
USA
T: +19175300400
F: +12127102601 
E: glaw@gulapalaw.com
W: http://ny.gulapalaw.com

San Francisco Representative Office
Gulapa & Quicho
2^nd Floor, 95 3^rd and Mission Streets
San Francisco, CA 94103
USA  
T: +14155309447
F: +12127102601 
E: glaw@gulapalaw.com
W: http://www.gulapalaw.com