ACCRALAW was founded in 1972, out of the shared vision of its five founding partners to establish an institutional law firm based on the highest standards of legal competence.
The Firm was initially conceived by Edgardo J. Angara and Manuel G. Abello+, who had known each other since their student days at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law. In a landscape then dominated by larger and more established firms primarily designed to serve multinational corporations, Angara and Abello saw an emerging and dynamic generation of local enterprises and individuals whose legal requirements were not being prioritized and adequately addressed. They saw this as an opportunity to establish a law firm which would focus on this new group and provide exceptional legal advice and expertise.
Teodoro D. Regala and Jose C. Concepcion, former classmates at the University of the Philippines College of Law, soon joined Angara and Abello and with the arrival of Avelino V. Cruz, Angara's classmate at the University of Michigan Law School and an alumnus of the San Beda College of Law, the Firm’s founding partners were complete.
A HISTORY OF GROWTH AND STRENGTH
On May 1, 1972, ACCRALAW opened its first offices at the Philippine Bank of Commerce Building on Ayala Avenue in the premier business district of Makati City. Starting from an initial six and then increasing to more than 30 lawyers, in 1975 the Firm moved to its own building, the ACCRA Building on Gamboa Street also in Makati. In just a few years, ACCRA had achieved phenomenal growth and had become one of the nation’s largest and leading law firms. Furthering its expansion, the Firm established a branch in Cebu City in 1980 and in 1996, an office was opened in Davao City. Having outgrown its Head Office at the ACCRA Building, in March 2010, the Firm moved to a new, modern and bigger ACCRALAW Tower in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
Today, 42 years after it first opened its doors, the Firm has approximately 150 lawyers (41 of whom are partners), around 130 support staff, and two branches in the two most important commercial cities in the country outside Metro Manila. ACCRALAW is uniquely positioned to service clients throughout the Philippines. Equally as important, its lawyers have vast cross-border experience in complicated international transactions and are able to quickly service and communicate with its international clients in real time. The Firm also has an impressive network of correspondent firms positioned in the primary business centers of the world. The Firm's strong presence in the Philippines, coupled with its international experience, makes it truly distinct in the Philippines.
Perhaps more than any other law firm in the Philippines, the Firm has trained and produced an impressive list of top tier government officials including, among others, three Executive Secretaries, two Senate Presidents, six Senators, several Congressmen, two SEC Chairpersons, and a BIR Commissioner. The Firm's Partners have also been instrumental in providing invaluable resource persons to government agencies and assisting in the drafting of crucial legislation, rules and regulations.
The economy of the Philippines, together with the rest of Asia, is growing at an unprecedented rate. Moreover, financial centers and fortunes are shifting towards this region where there is a burgeoning, young, upwardly mobile and educated population with increasing disposable income. In the face of all this growth and economic activity, ACCRALAW is strategically and uniquely situated to serve its clients within the region and without.
ACCRALAW is evolving and expanding in today’s world of ever changing technologies and shifting economic fortunes.
We are here to serve.NGTH