Florete Law, an Iloilo City-based firm, has entered a non-exclusive partnership with Phnom Penh-based firm A&D Law to serve clients’ needs in international commercial arbitration and corporate law, particularly within Southeast Asia.
“From the perspective of advisory and transactional mandates, the partnership aims to deliver solutions for high-impact cross-border matters, including international commercial arbitration, corporate law, cross-border investments, mergers and acquisitions, legal due diligence and corporate fraud, by reducing costs and complexities of multi-jurisdictional transactions,” Florete Law managing partner Mary Christine Florete told Asia Business Law Journal.
Florete noted that her firm partnered with A&D Law due to its established expertise in Cambodian legal systems and practices, led by managing director Sereyvuthy Khan, which allowed for a complementary bridge between Philippine and Cambodian jurisdictions.
The partnership was formalised on 4 July, through a memorandum of agreement, with the announcement made on 6 August.
Philippine clients sought the resolution of high-stakes business disputes, construction disputes and strengthening internal systems for fraud detection and compliance, said Florete. Meanwhile, Cambodian clients, through the partnership, focused on cross-border investments, M&A, legal due diligence and corporate fraud matters, reflecting the need for integrated services in international transactions, she added.
Florete clarified that there were neither specific plans to deploy legal teams from the Philippines to Cambodia or vice versa for transactions or disputes, nor were there moves to open dedicated desks or offices in Iloilo City or Phnom Penh. Instead, the partnership would focus on sharing collaborative expertise and joint service delivery, without detailed physical expansions, said Florete.
