Rafael Padilla

CORPORATE I regularly work on corporate structuring, jurisdiction and regulatory advisory, due diligence, corporate governance, legal audit and securities compliance. I typically deal with offshore law firms, corporate and trust service providers from various jurisdictions to implement aspects of my corporate exercises. COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS I draft domestic and international agreements for multi-phase projects and for stand-alone transactions. I am able to negotiate on behalf of clients the terms of commercial deals, including instruments for business operations. I also have strong background on legal exercises most relevant to financial technology firms. AML I advise on financial services compliance, anti-money laundering (AML) risks, know-your-client (KYC), customer due diligence (CDD) concerns and suspicious activity reporting (SAR). TAX I am able to assist on onshore and offshore tax planning and structuring based on Philippine tax rules and international tax treaties. I review group structures and deliver impact analyses relative to the latest international tax reform initiatives such as the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project and automatic exchange of information (Common Reporting Standard and Country-by-Country Reporting). INVESTMENTS I help businesses properly understand relevant laws and regulations that must be complied with and to manage legals risks involved in particular investments. I deliver high level advice on collective investment schemes, fund formation and structuring. BLOCKCHAIN I heavily focus on public policy issues and legal implications of digital currencies and blockchain technology. I serve the legal, regulatory, licensing and compliance requirements of various cryptocurrency-based businesses and blockchain projects. Having in mind the quickly developing blockchain space, I guide clients on legal developments as well as advocate and represent them in championing sensible regulatory frameworks.