Our Team
Atty. Benedicto M. Valerio Jr.
Atty. Benedicto M. Valerio Jr. is the founding partner and current managing executive of the firm. A seasoned corporate lawyer, he brings over three decades of legal expertise spanning banking, corporate law, litigation, and regulatory compliance.
From 1996 to 2006, he served as General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary of International Exchange Bank, where he was part of the executive management team and oversaw key legal functions, including legal documentation, corporate housekeeping, litigation management, tax compliance, and mergers and acquisitions.
In 2012, Atty. Valerio was appointed an officer of EastWest Banking Corporation, where he continues to serve as Corporate Secretary.
Earlier in his career, he honed his legal practice with several prestigious law firms, including Bautista Picazo Cruz Buyco and Tan (1987–1988), Balane Barican Cruz and Alampay (1989–1992), and Alfonso M. Cruz Law Offices (1993–1995), handling a wide range of legal matters.
Atty. Valerio earned his Juris Doctor from the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law in 1987 and was admitted to the Philippine Bar the same year. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from De La Salle University (1981) and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, where he graduated with distinction in 2003 as a Gold Medal awardee for academic excellence.
Atty. Gerard Benedict G. Valerio
Atty. Gerard Benedict G. Valerio earned his Juris Doctor degree from San Beda College Alabang in 2023 and was admitted to the bar in the same year. Prior to law school, Atty. Gerard earned his Bachelor’s degree in Management Economics at the Ateneo De Manila University. He also earned minor degrees in Literature and Business Enterprise Development from the same university.
Atty. Jonathan P. Ong
Atty. Jonathan P. Ong joined the Firm in August 2019, bringing with him over 25 years of legal experience in banking, corporate law, and litigation.
He earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of the Philippines School of Economics in 1989, and subsequently obtained his Bachelor of Laws from the UP College of Law in 1993. He passed the Philippine Bar Examination in September 1993 and was admitted to the Bar on March 15, 1994.
Atty. Ong began his legal career at the law office of Atty. Mario E. Ongkiko in 1994. In 1996, he transitioned to the banking industry as in-house counsel for the former International Exchange Bank, serving until August 2006. In May 2007, he joined Maybank Philippines, Inc. (MPI), where he held the position of Head of Legal Services and Corporate Secretary until July 2019.
During his tenure at MPI, he concurrently served as Corporate Secretary for the bank’s Philippine affiliates, including Philmay Property, Inc. and Philmay Holdings, Inc.
His areas of practice include banking law, corporate governance, and general litigation.
Atty. Raul I. Rafael
Atty. Raul I. Rafael graduated Magna Cum Laude (AB Economics) from Manuel L. Quezon University. He finished his Law Degree at San Beda College of Law in 1990 and passed the Bar in 1991 and thereafter engaged in private practice.
He was engaged as litigation lawyer and later Head of the Litigation Department of PSBank. He was also the retained counsel and corporate secretary of several financial institutions.
At present, he is a Conservator of a distressed insurance company appointed by the Insurance Commission.
Atty. Ma. Louise Marie Leuterio
Atty. Ma. Louise Marie Leuterio earned her Juris Doctor degree from San Beda College Alabang School of Law in 2024. She took the bar examinations that same year and was admitted to the Philippine Bar on January 24, 2025. Before pursuing law, she completed a Bachelor's degree in Legal Management at San Beda College Alabang, providing her with a solid foundation in legal studies and business administration.
Atty. Gillian Cassie C. Tan (Of Counsel)
Attorney Gillian Cassie C. Tan graduated with Honors from the Ateneo de Manila University College of Law in 2018 and was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2019. She obtained her Bachelor of Science (Management Information System) degree for the Ateneo De Manila University in 2014.