Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia, a top-tier full-service law firm with proven expertise in, among others, Corporate and Special Projects, Intellectual Property, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, and Energy, Mining & Natural Resources, is pleased to announce the election of Atty. Patricia A. O. Bunye as the firm’s new Managing Partner effective 01 January 2025. She succeeds Atty. Joe Nathan P. Tenefrancia, who has served in the role since 2013 and will now be the firm’s Chairman.
The firm’s other areas of practice include: Infrastructure, Transportation and Public Utilities: Taxation; Labor and Employment; Trade; Telecommunications; Data Privacy; Competition; Financial Technology; Family Law; and Information and Communications Technology. Its lawyers are consistently ranked in The Philippines’ Top 100 Lawyers and cited by various international law research publications such as Chambers, Legal 500, Asia Law, among many others.
Bunye, who is one of the firm’s founding partners, heads the Mining & Natural Resources Department and the Energy practice group, and is also a Partner in the Intellectual Property Department. Her Intellectual Property practice is focused on trademarks and IP commercialization, including licensing and franchising, and regulatory matters before the Food & Drug Administration.
She was the President of the Licensing Executives Society International (LESI) from 2016-2017, the first Filipino and Southeast Asian to hold the position. In 2020, she received LESI’s Peter K. Hess Award of Achievement which is conferred on LES members who have made lasting contributions to LESI and the licensing profession.
She is also the founding President of Diwata-Women in Resource Development, Inc., a non-government organization advocating the responsible development of the Philippines’ wealth in resources, principally, through industries such as mining, oil and gas, quarrying, and other mineral resources from the earth for processing.
She is a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors and the Chairman of the Governance Committee of the Makati Business Club.
In her new role, Bunye will oversee the firm’s strategic direction, foster innovation, and continue to prioritize the delivery of exceptional legal services to clients.
“It will be my honor and privilege to serve as Managing Partner”, said Bunye. “Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia has built a solid reputation and attained pre-eminent position in the legal community. My partners and I are committed to upholding excellence in our practice and serving our clients with dedication.”
