OUR PRACTICES

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

For decades, SVBB has been one of the front-running law firms in the country engaged in intellectual property prosecution, maintenance, licensing, and enforcement.

It represents both local and multinational clients, such as Toyota Technical Development Corporation, JFE Steel Corporation, Yamaha Motors Corporation, Sony Computer and Entertainment Inc., Unicharm Corporation, Dart Industries, Century Pacific Seacrest, Inc., Peerless Products Manufacturing Corporation, among others, and boast a vast network of international correspondents. It is an active member of international organizations for the protection of intellectual property such as the International Trademark Association (INTA), Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA), and American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA).

Mindful of the need to contribute to society, it likewise counsels the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the University of the Philippines, and the De La Salle University on some of their patent concerns.

It has provided groundbreaking solutions and innovations that have had a dramatic impact on its clients’ intellectual property needs including litigating various aspects of intellectual property disputes, from complex patent litigation to trademark and copyright infringement matters. It likewise provides consultative advice, review, and preparation of licensing agreements and distributorship agreements with copyright and trademark issues. SVBB also achieved significant victories before the Supreme Court in a number of landmark cases involving trademark and copyright matters.

Its IP lawyers are complemented by paralegals – with degrees in the sciences and engineering – consultants, and staff.

For investigation in support of litigation, it coordinates with its partner investigators who work to effectively coordinate with law enforcement agencies in cases requiring investigations and securing search warrants.

IP INFRINGEMENT

SVBB has aggressively prosecuted cases against infringers of IP rights.  It has actively engaged in infringement cases involving internationally well-known trademarks and pharmaceutical patents. Significantly, it is also persistently going after both online and offline infringers of Korean copyright works or content.

List of Services

• Patents
  • Prosecution of applications (Invention, Utility Model, Industrial Design, Integrated Circuit Design)
  • Searches (Clearance and Due Diligence Searches)
  • Enforcement and Litigation
  • Freedom to Operate (FTO)
  • Patent Valuation
  • Cancellation and Invalidation
• Trademarks
  • Prosecution of applications
  • Searches (Clearance and Due Diligence Searches)
  • Opposition and Cancellation
  • Enforcement and Litigation
• Copyright
  • Registration
  • Enforcement and Litigation
• Technology Transfer
  • Negotiate, Draft, Review and Recordation of Licensing and Franchising Agreements
• Intellectual Property – Corporate Support
  • Due Diligence (Merger and Acquisitions )
  • Taxation
  • Audit, Inventory, and Management
  • Maintenance and Renewal

CORPORATE, TAX, & IMMIGRATION

SVBB specializes in servicing the corporate and tax requirements of local and foreign clients with the full spectrum of corporate transactions important to business in today’s global marketplace.

SVBB provides clients with valuable service and advice on all areas of Philippine taxation including the setting up and registration of business structures to cater to the specific requirements, their availment of incentives, the protection of their investments, and the legal continuity of their businesses. It also extends legal advice on all areas of Philippines taxation including tax advisory, structuring and planning services for major corporate and institutional clients, and the resolution of tax issues, controversies and disputes with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

It presently acts as counsel for several business process outsourcing (BPO) and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) companies in the Philippines dealing with customer service, design, finance, and research.

Pertinently, SVBB’s immigration practice complements the needs of its corporate clients by providing international and multi-national corporations consultative and legal services for the immigration and emigration needs of their officers and employees.

In addition, SVBB has recently agreed to provide legal support to stakeholders in the micro-finance industry who are performing a vital role in nation-building by providing access to affordable financial products and services to farmers, fishermen, street vendors and the like, enabling them to break the oppressive cycle of poverty and grow to become successful entrepreneurs.

List of Services

• Advisory / Consultancy services on feasible business structures, in the context of prevailing investment incentives and taxation environment, including corporate reorganization, quasi-reorganization, or restructuring (e.g., merger, consolidation, acquisition, etc.)
• Tax Planning / Tax structuring
• Preparation of legal & tax opinions / studies
• Registrations of companies with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), local government unit, and other relevant regulatory authorities
• Corporate Secretarial Services
• Corporate Dissolution including application for issuance of Tax Clearance and other government approvals
• Corporate Registration
• Assistance in Securing Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Rulings
• Assistance in Applications for Preferential Treaty Rates
• Assistance in Handling Tax Assessments
• Assistance in Obtaining Tax Refunds / Tax Credits
• Registration with Government investment promotion agencies, e.g. Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Board of Investments (BOI), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Clark Development Corporation (CDC)
• Legal & Tax Retainer Services
• Estate Tax Planning
• Assistance in Addressing Issues Relating to Local Taxation and Real Property Taxation

GENERAL PRACTICE & LITIGATION

With its seasoned as well as the new breed of lawyers, SVBB passionately handles litigation work in civil, criminal and administrative proceedings before the trial and appellate level courts, and quasi-judicial agencies.

A competent staff of paralegals and secretaries provide able support to its advocates to ensure that cases are efficiently and effectively taken care of. It deals with varied legal issues and provides legal counselling and general advices to both local and foreign clients.

Part of its general practice is its work in the area of energy, with emphasis on the implementation of the so-called EPIRA [Electric Power Industry Reform Act] Law. Related to this, SVBB takes pride in offering the unique remedy of direct connection (DC) available to big electric customers to connect directly to the grid in getting their electric power requirement from the supplier of its choice, bypassing the franchisee, under the procedure prescribed by the Department of Energy (DOE).

List of Services

• Civil Litigation Involving
  • Contracts
  • Property
  • Wills and Probate
  • Estates and Inheritance
  • Marriage and Family, Special Proceedings
  • Adoption and Guardianship
  • Torts
  • Damages
  • Common Carrier
  • Corporation and Commercial Transactions
• Criminal Prosecution or Defense Involving
  • Intellectual Property Infringement and Unfair Competition with Damages
  • Violations of Environment Law
  • Application for search warrant and enforcement
  • Felonies and Special Laws
• Administrative & Quasi-Judicial Litigation Involving
• • Violations of Intellectual Property Rights, Opposition & Cancellation
  • Labor and Employment
  • Power and Electrical Energy
  • Housing and Land
  • Consumer Protection, Trade Practices, and Advertising
• Appellate Litigation
  • Supreme Court
  • Sandiganbayan
  • Court of Appeals
  • National Labor Relations Commission
  • Director General, IPOPHIL
  •  Office of the President
  • Court of Tax Appeals
• Commercial Arbitration
  • IP Mediation and Arbitration
  • International Commercial Arbitration

MARITIME & LABOR

SVBB cooperates with various stakeholders in ensuring better protection and more benefits for seafarers’, oftentimes  working with government agencies and non-governmental organizations. Properly supported by an excellent staff, SVBB advocates seafarers’ rights through initiatives showcasing its unwavering commitment to the principles of social justice and fair play.

SVBB responds to varied seafarers’ concerns requiring its legal expertise and assists clients and their families in understanding their contracts and working environment as well as the prosecution of their cases.

SVBB litigates money claims for contractual breaches, disability and death benefits as well as other cases before judicial or quasi-judicial bodies.

It promotes and upholds industrial peace by ensuring that the management does not abuse its management prerogatives, while labor acts in good faith in the exercise of their work.

List of Services

• Assists and represents seafarers and OFWs regarding to their employment, contracts, employment benefits and privileges.
• Litigates  money claims for contractual breaches, disability and death benefits as well as illegal dismissal cases before the NLRC and the Appellate courts.
• Represents seafarers and OFWs in administrative proceedings before the POEA, DOLE and PRC as well as in civil and criminal cases before the regular courts.
• Conducts paralegal lectures on seafarers’ legal rights in maritime schools, seafarers’ dormitories, and parishes.
• Extend legal advisories in radio programs and hold legal columns in publications.
• Makes representations before legislative and government agencies on vital issues involving seafarers.