
Firm Name: Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia
Jurisdiction: Philippines
Practice Area: Dispute Resolution Law

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Professional Biography:
Leaders in Law endorses Elmar Galacio as our exclusively recommended Dispute Resolution Law expert in the Philippines. If you wish to get in touch with Elmar please use the contact information provided above.
A senior litigator, Elmar is the Firm’s primary litigator in banking fraud cases. His Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) license is a most sought-after expertise in the field, especially in commercial, civil, criminal and labor litigation, exemplified by his being lead external counsel representing the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), among other notable clients and some major banks, in their must-win complex cases.
Elmar heads the firm’s Arbitration Practice Group. He acts either as arbitrator or lead counsel in arbitration proceedings. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb), a member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Institute of World Business Law, Asia Pacific Institute of Experts (APIEx), and of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA). He obtained his Oxford (CIArb) Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration in London. In the Philippines, he is accredited arbitrator with the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission (CIAC), Philippine International Center for Conflict Resolution (PICCR), Philippine Institute of Arbitrators (PIArb), and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP). He has extensive practice in construction and commercial arbitration (including information technology, mining and energy), both domestic and international, and both ad hoc and institutional arbitration, spanning almost 20 years now.
He graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Law in 1997 where he was member of the Order of the Purple Feather Honor Society, his Master in Public Policy from Saitama University (now Graduate Research Institute for Policy Studies) in Japan in 2000 as Monbusho scholar, and his Bachelor of Arts from the Holy Name University in Bohol where he graduated summa cum laude in 1992.
Elmar Galacio was Deputy General Counsel of the IBP.
Firm Overview:
The firm’s lawyers are highly respected by their peers for providing sought after legal guidance to leaders of our nation, captains of industry, and even the common man. All 20 partners, together with the firm’s associates and non-legal personnel, who count among the very best in the profession, are bound by a commitment to deliver the highest quality of service to help the firm’s clients attain success and contribute to nation building.
Together, practicing law as one firm, Cruz Marcelo and Tenefrancia provides unparalleled legal representation in various fields of law as a full-service firm.
United by common ideals and shared values
Ours is a true partnership of accomplished professionals dedicated to building a legal institution that will carry on the torch of professionalism, meritocracy and mutual respect that transcend individual interests – principles befitting true practitioners of the noble profession of law.
Our core values
Our core partnership values translate into our governance principles and are both integral to ensuring that our lawyers are able to deliver the highest quality of service to help our clients attain success.
Vision
Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia is an enduring legal institution founded on the core values of integrity, professionalism, meritocracy, and mutual respect in providing unparalleled legal representation in various fields of law that extends to the broader context of Philippine Society.
Mission
We are committed to consistently deliver the highest quality of effective legal representation that efficiently meets every client’s needs, observing the highest professional standards, through a continuous enhancement and development of expertise, coupled with an understanding of the client and its business, in an environment that fosters creativity, mutual respect, and teamwork.