What were you doing before the MCL?
I am a partner in ACCRA Law Offices, one of the largest law firms in the Philippines. I have been practicing law for eleven years, with a focus on Taxation, Finance, Corporate and Business Law, Real Estate, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), and Investment Law. In the course of my legal practice, I have provided counseling on tax planning, corporate restructuring, reorganizations, M&A, and represented clients before the tax administrative and court tribunals. I am also a lecturer in Angeles University Foundation School of Law, and have authored three books on taxation.
What were your impressions of the MCL?
My interaction with corporate clients, lawyers from other jurisdictions and finance executives for over a decade has developed my interest in taking further studies, preferably with emphasis on corporate law and finance. Hence, the MCL which focuses on corporate governance and finance perfectly suits my interest and practice.
Overall, I found the MCL to be an excellent program for lawyers wishing to practice or have been practicing corporate law, be it in the UK or in other jurisdictions. The Deals Course injects theoretical and practical elements in M&A and finance practice, together with insights provided by practitioners from the leading law firms in the UK.
The MCL's allied subjects, like corporate taxation, international merger control and shareholder litigation, provide a suitable comparison of the UK system with that of other well-developed jurisdictions, like in US and Germany, making the MCL more international in orientation. They also make the program interesting to lawyers who are not practicing in the UK.
What are your post-MCL plans and have they changed due to taking the MCL?
After my graduation, I will go back to the Philippines and resume my tax and corporate practice. I also plan to teach corporate law so I could share the knowledge and experience that I gained from Cambridge. Should there be a similar opportunity in the future, I will take advanced studies again to further hone and supplement my law practice.
