Franchette M. Acosta

Creating The Legacy

The Firm was founded in 1980 under the leadership of young lawyers including now-Supreme Court Justice Antonio T. Carpio and F. Arthur L. Villaraza, student leaders and top graduates from the University of the Philippines. Imbued with the passion for excellence of its founding partners, the law firm has grown to establish a sterling reputation for practising law with the highest standards and providing unparalleled legal representation that helps ensure the success of its clients and shape the history of a nation.

V&A LAW Today

Beginning the year 2016 the stewardship of the Firm is transferred to Alejandro Alfonso E. Navarro as Managing Partner and Augusto A. San Pedro Jr. as Co-Managing Partner, with F. Arthur Villaraza as Chairman and CEO. Our partners and associates contribute their capabilities and work as one Firm in providing our clients with a full range of legal services drawn from our collective experience and expertise in areas such as Corporate & Commercial Law, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property Law, Labor & Immigration, Taxation, Power & Energy, Mining & Natural Resources, Mergers & Acquisition, Foreign Investments, Property & Development, Infrastructure, Transportation and Public Utilities, Capital Markets, Securities Regulation and Finance, and Immigration. With lawyers recognized by their peers to be at the top of the legal profession and with highly trained non-legal staff, the Firm offers professional service of the highest calibre. Through the years, we have practised law with an intimate knowledge of the issues that corporate decision-makers face and deliberately employed tailored strategies that help our clients see opportunities in adversities. With decades of experience in serving a full spectrum of our client's interests, our lawyers are equipped to skillfully handle the most intricate problems and provide comprehensive solutions that deliver results.

Franchette M. Acosta specializes in commercial law and has acted as lead counsel for sellers and buyers in cross-border and domestic mergers and acquisitions of private and public companies.  As counsel, Franchette guides her clients through the legal due diligence process, negotiation and drafting of transaction documents such as acquisition and shareholders agreements.  Franchette has also advised clients in the developing field of competition law in the Philippines, and has assisted in securing approvals from the Philippine Competition Commission. A significant component of her commercial law practice includes assisting foreign companies in market entry or expansion in the Philippines by providing practical and business-oriented guidance on business structure, regulation (such as data protection laws), HR regulation, registration and permitting and immigration. 

Franchette has acted as lead transaction counsel for borrowers in syndicated loan agreements and project financing for companies engaged in power, property development, retail and manufacturing.  Her experience covers acting as lead counsel for underwriters in initial public offerings in the Philippines and sponsors/companies for listings in Hong Kong and China.  Franchette represents clients as lead counsel before government agencies for procurement and build-operate and transfer projects.   

Franchette acts for local and foreign companies providing services globally such as:  Europe-based reinsurance and insurance companies, consumer lending provider, security software and hardware provider for communications and other industrial equipment and a cement company; Leading Hong Kong-based telecommunications and food manufacturing company; U.S.-based financial technology company providing payment solutions services, semi-conductor manufacturer, and a design, engineering and manufacturing services provider; Singapore-based technology company providing innovative logistics and other services, digital solutions provider and fintech solutions and credit-scoring provider; China-based accommodation services provider, logistics solutions provider and state-owned enterprises engaged in infrastructure, power and energy; and a Japan-based manufacturing company, integrated engineer, IT and risk management consultancy providers.  Franchette has acted as counsel of the Ayala Group of companies, including Ayala Land, AC Energy, Globe Telecom and Innove, and other Philippine conglomerates and companies with interests in asset recovery, food retail, gaming and entertainment, infrastructure and renewable energy.  

Franchette holds a Masters of Law Degree (LL.M.) from New York University, a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL.B.) from the University of the Philippines College of Law  (cum laude and Valedictorian) and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Economics from the University of the Philippines School of Economics (magna cum laude). She ranked 3rd in the 1998 Philippine Bar Examinations.