GSMH Law

De Guzman San Diego Mejia & Hernandez Law Offices (GSMH Law) is a full service law firm, which can attend to the legal needs of clients with varying demands.

The Firm’s experienced legal team, combined with its legal resources, allows it to provide effective legal service to both local and multi-national corporations and major business establishments. Likewise, the Firm’s flexibility enables it to address the needs of small and medium sized businesses, as well as individuals.

Adopting the traits of its founding partners, the Firm is dynamic, passionate, competent and service-oriented.

About

GSMH Law was founded in 2008 by four dynamic and passionate lawyers with a single aim in mind: to provide services at par with institutional law firms through a personalized and client-oriented practice.

Drawing from the work ethic and professional experience they gathered as colleagues in one of the top law firms in the Philippines, GSMH Law commits to provide efficient and effective legal advice to its clients. The partners’ and associates’ extensive expertise in substantive, procedural and administrative law guarantees that its current and prospective clients will be provided with apt legal advice and given proper direction in resolving their legal concerns.

GSMH Law’s legal team includes highly competent and well-trained paralegals and staff who are on hand to provide assistance to its lawyers, ensuring efficient and cost-effective service. Since its inauguration in February 2008, clients who retained GSMH Law, receive personalized and effective legal assistance under fee arrangements which its clients are willing and able to pay and fair to the Firm.

Practice Areas

GSHM Law has a vast experience in litigation and in preventing litigation. The lawyers of GSMH Law have effectively handled the following matters:

1. COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

Administrative Litigation – defense and prosecution of administrative charges before administrative tribunals.

Admiralty Claims – actions involving seafarer’s claims, loss or damage to cargo, collisions, salvage, towage, marine pollution, ship arrests and other maritime incidents.

Alternative Dispute Resolution – mediation, conciliation, informal negotiations for amicable settlements.

Appellate Practice – appeals before the Regional Trial Court, the Court of Tax Appeals, the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court.

Banking – administrative actions before the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, violations of bank loan agreements, foreclosure of bank mortgages, other administrative cases involving financial institutions.

Civil Cases – actions for specific performance, rescission, annulment, restitution, damages, quasi-delicts and torts.

Corporate Litigation – intra-corporate disputes, proxy issues, corporate takeovers, enforcement of stockholder rights, derivative suits, invalidation of transfers of shares, corporate rehabilitation, insolvency proceedings.

Criminal Litigation – prosecution of criminal complaints as private prosecutors or defense against criminal complaints.

Family Law – adoption, annulment, declaration of nullity, custody, legal separation, separation of property, succession, application for protective orders.

Insurance Claims – non-life insurance claims, enforcement of health insurance claims and handling of other cases before the Insurance Commission.

Intellectual Property Litigation – patent infringement, trademark infringement, copyright infringement, search and seizure operations.

Product Liability – claims for damages for defective products or goods and consumer complaints before the Department of Trade and Industry.

Property Disputes – cancellation of titles, recovery of possession, encroachment of property, abatement of nuisance, ejectment.

2. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

GSMH has a solid background in intellectual property law.

Intellectual Property Administration – registration of trademarks, trade names and service marks, maintenance of marks, registration of utility models and industrial designs, deposit of copyright, registration of trademark use agreements, assignment of marks.

Trademark Enforcement – developing and managing trademark protection programs, prosecution of trademark infringement, opposition to registration of marks, cancellation of trademarks, actions for unfair competition, search and seizure of infringing goods.

Patent Enforcement – actions for injunction against infringing goods, actions for damages for patent infringement, facilitating the determination of the existence of patent infringement, criminal prosecution for patent infringement.

3. LABOR LAW

GSMH Law recognizes the importance of this field of law in business enterprises. Hence, GSMH Law advises its clients not only how to manage existing labor problems but also how to prevent these labor issues from arising.

Labor Advisory - conducting audit of human resource related practices, drafting of employment contracts and codes of conduct/employee regulations, drafting policies for retirement programs, drafting forms used by human resource departments, compliance with pertinent laws and regulations, assisting in the design and implementation of manpower reduction programs, assistance in collective bargaining negotiations, assistance in closure of businesses, advising on the human resource aspect of corporate acquisitions, mergers or spin-offs, advising on payroll management, managing certification elections, and assistance in drafting corporate codes of conduct.

Labor Advocacy – termination disputes, money claims, labor-related civil and criminal cases, negotiations with labor unions, collective bargaining negotiations, strikes and lockouts, cases for unfair labor practices, Social Security System cases, grievance arbitration.

4. CORPORATE LAW

GSMH Law competently performs a wide array of corporate legal work for its clients namely: incorporation; accreditation with relevant government agencies (i.e. POEA, BSP, DENR, MARINA); closure and winding down of operations; due diligence; contract drafting, review and negotiations; securing permits (from local government units and pertinent administrative agencies and bodies); equity structuring; drafting, review, negotiations and implementation of joint venture agreements; corporate planning and structuring; mergers and acquisitions; establishment of subsidiaries and branch offices; admiralty contracts; establishment of foundations and non-stock, non-profit corporations.

5. ADMIRALTY LAW

GSMH Law is highly competent in handling admiralty issues such as ship registration, ship sale and mortgage, collisions, salvage, ship arrests, cargo claims and seafarer’s claims. The Firm also enjoys partnerships with several medical doctors who specialize in the practice of maritime medicine to assist in the technical aspect of seafarers’ death or disability claims.

6. TAXATION

The Firm has developed its tax practice in the following areas of taxation: tax planning; estate planning; tax amnesty and tax advocacy. Thus, clients are properly apprised of tax consequences of their business actions, preventing any taxation issues that may negatively impact certain ventures.

7. MINING

In light of the Supreme Court’s recent decision to liberalize mining in the Philippines, this industry has intensified. GSMH Law has developed its mining practice to address the legal demands of emerging as well as existing mining companies. In a short period of time, the Firm has gained legal expertise in mining law to address its client’s concerns in this field.

Contact Information:

GSMH Law Offices

Penthouse, Paragon Tower
531 A. Flores St., Ermita, Manila 1000
(+632) 400-4764 / (+632) 400-1307
Fax. No.: (+632) 4001307
Email: counsel@gsmhlaw.com