Maria Aileene A. Alfaro
MID-LEVEL ASSOCIATE
There’s a saying that what separates the exceptional from the average are the details. This is why unlike most people, Aileene has always been mindful of even the minutest information. As an associate in Tolosa Javier Law, her sharp eye and thoroughness are valued by clients who need an in-depth assessment of the clauses and fine print included in their transactions and contracts.
Her perceptiveness, coupled with her natural inquisitiveness and willingness to learn unfamiliar subjects, allows her to counsel clients from a holistic perspective. It also enables her to perform well in her practice of mergers & acquisitions, corporate and commercial law, data privacy, and competition.
Aileene’s experience includes advising on commercial transactions that range from incorporation of companies to compliance with public bidding rules. She has provided counsel to companies and associations from various industries such as energy, information technology, manufacturing, construction, packaging, and food services.
Highlights:
- Advised the top global private equity firm on its first Philippine investment involving a series C funding for the largest Philippine social entertainment application, which represented the largest equity financing for a Filipino startup to date.
- Assisted one of Southeast Asia’s leading power distributors in conducting its competitive bidding for the highest contract capacity in Philippine history.
- Successfully handled the financing of the developer of a 12-megawatt run-of-river hydroelectric power project amounting to 2.4 Billion Pesos.
- Successfully handled the follow-on offering of commercial papers amounting to 2 Billion Pesos of one of the most established high-technology product development companies in Southeast Asia..
- Aided the Philippine Competition Commission in the creation of a Manual on Partnerships and Cooperation Agreements, a device designed to offer guidance throughout the negotiation, execution, and management of the agency’s transactions with its partner institutions.
- Advised the local electricity supply arm of the largest Philippine electric distribution utility company in its collection of fuel cost recovery adjustment from the contestable market comprising of large electricity end-users.
- Assists the leading global tobacco and tobacco product manufacturer in its introduction of novel and reduced risk products in the Philippines.
- Advises the leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices in its corporate and commercial transactions.
Q&A
Were you always fascinated with the study and practice of law?
Yes, it is interesting how a system of rules made by men can govern and influence so many aspects of our lives. From the moment we get out of bed every morning to the moment we close our eyes at the end of each day, we encounter a lot of underlying laws that affect each action or transaction that we make. This is why knowing about these laws and helping clients be informed about their ins and outs are important to me.
Is there any facet of being a lawyer that surprised you?
After finishing four years of law school and half a year of preparations for the bar exams, I had this notion that I was already familiar with the complexities of the laws in the country. I thought that this knowledge would be sufficient in answering and solving different legal problems. However, I was both surprised and awed by the various ways each problem can be addressed by merely changing a minute detail or fact, which would necessarily change how the law would be applied. This is what makes this profession appealing to me since each legal question is unique and thought-provoking.
When you are not attending to you clients’ needs, what do you usually do?
I really love reading books so I would most probably be curled up in a corner of a room, holding a good book in one hand and drinking coffee with the other. I am also very interested in improving productivity, efficiency, and happiness in everyday life, so I often read articles or listen to podcasts on those topics. I believe being knowledgeable about subject matters outside of law is helpful for lawyers for us to relate to different types of people and find creative ways to answer their legal queries.
- Juris Doctor, Ateneo De Manila University, School of Law, 2019
- Graduated with second honors distinction; ranked 6th in her class
- Bachelor of Science degree, Business Administration, University of the Philippines, 2015
- Cum Laude
- Academics Head for Remedial Law, Ateneo Central Bar Operations, 2018