Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia (CMT) is pleased to announce its continued recognition by Chambers and Partners, receiving outstanding rankings across multiple practice areas and individual categories in the Chambers Asia-Pacific 2026 guide. These results reaffirm the firm’s position as one of the Philippines’ leading full-service law firms and reflect the trust placed in CMT by clients, peers, and industry stakeholders.
Firm Rankings
For 2026, CMT has been ranked in the following practice areas:
• Band 1
• Dispute Resolution
• Intellectual Property
• Band 3
• Corporate and M&A
• Projects, Infrastructure & Energy
• Employment
These rankings recognize the firm’s depth of expertise, long-standing industry insight, and consistent ability to deliver commercially sound, strategic, and responsive legal solutions for complex and high-stakes matters.
Individual Lawyer Recognitions
Chambers Asia-Pacific also recognized several CMT lawyers for their leadership, proficiency, and client-focused service.
Dispute Resolution
• Simeon V. Marcelo – Band 1
• John Jerico L. Balisnomo – Band 3
Projects, Infrastructure & Energy
• Patricia A. O. Bunye – Eminent Practitioner
• Pancho G. Umali – Band 3
Employment
• Elmar B. Galacio, CFE, FCIArb – Band 3
Intellectual Property
• Susan D. Villanueva – Band 1
• Patricia A. O. Bunye – Band 2
• Divina Gracia E. Pedron – Band 3
• Rowanie A. Nakan – Band 3
Corporate & M&A
• Rosa Michele C. Bagtas – Band 4
Spotlight: Corporate M&A Real Estate
Commitment to Excellence
These recognitions reflect the firm’s unwavering dedication to excellence and its ability to combine legal proficiency with practical, industry-aligned strategies. Each ranking represents the collective effort of the firm’s lawyers, professionals, and staff, and the continued confidence of clients who trust CMT with their most sensitive and mission-critical matters.
CMT remains committed to upholding the highest standards of legal service across all practice areas and to delivering solutions that advance the interests of its clients in an increasingly complex landscape.
