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Donemark J. L. Calimon

Partner
Quisumbing Torres

Biography

Donemark Calimon is a partner in Quisumbing Torres' Dispute Resolution Practice Group. Donemark has more than 19 years of experience in dispute resolution, including civil, criminal, corporate and regulatory litigation, and commercial arbitration. He is one of the founders of the Philippine Institute of Arbitrators (PIArb). He is a member of the panel of arbitrators of the Singapore International Arbitration Center (SIAC), the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center (PDRC) and the Philippine International Center for Conflict Resolution (PICCR). He is also an accredited arbitrator of several Philippine arbitration institutions including the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). He is also presently serving as Secretary General of the PICCR, an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) center set up by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to provide arbitration and ADR services and facilities.

Practice Focus

Donemark has acted as counsel or arbitrator in various commercial arbitrations, including arbitrations conducted under the arbitration rules of the PDRC, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the CIAC, and ad hoc arbitrations under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules.

Donemark has represented various multinational clients, including chemical manufacturing companies in several of the largest torts/product liability actions in the Philippines, mining corporations in mining/environment-related litigation, energy companies involved in commercial arbitration and tax litigation, airline companies in torts/quasi-delict actions, construction companies in arbitration, administrative and criminal proceedings, including proceedings before the World Bank’s Sanctions Board in Washington, DC, and other multinational corporations in regulatory proceedings before the Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Trade and Industry, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and the Civil Aeronautics Board.

Representative Legal Matters

  • Advise and represent an Australian multinational banking and financial services company in a dispute with an engineering firm and a power and energy company (Defendants) involving supply and construction contracts and irrevocable standby letters of credit procured pursuant thereto. 

  • Represent an international freight forwarding and logistics company in a Supreme Court case involving the issue of nationality requirements for freight forwarding services.

  • Represent a Philippine pharmaceutical company in disputes arising from a Share Swap Agreement (SSA) valued at more than PHP 500 million.

  • Represent an information technology company in a dispute involving services rendered under a contract to supply the Southeast Asian Games Information System.

  • Assist the Philippine subsidiary of a multinational sports brand apparel in connection with its claim against a retail and distribution company  in the Philippines. 

  • Represent an international freight forwarding/logistics company in arbitration proceedings and the proceedings for enforcement of arbitral awards.

  • Assist the Philippine subsidiary of one of the world's leading suppliers of cement and aggregates in a commercial arbitration and emergency arbitration proceedings under the Rules of the PDRC involving the termination of a Port Services Agreement. 

  • Defend a multinational technology company engaged in the provision, implementation, and support of software and processing solutions to the financial services industry in the Asia Pacific against Petition for Interim Measure of Protection for Preservation of Evidence in relation to Arbitration.

  • Advise and assist a multinational technology company / appliance manufacturer in drafting contract packages worth approximately USD 100 million based on the 2017 FIDIC Red Book for the construction of its new campus in the Philippines.

  • Advise, represent and provide construction contract management service to a joint venture between a Japanese corporation operating in building construction, civil engineering and real estate development, and a Philippines-based real estate and construction company in connection with a major railway project in the Philippines.

  • Advise and assist a multinational technology conglomerate in connection with various safety and security issues (including terrorism, trafficking and child safety) including advising on matters involving the rights, duties, and obligations of online platforms (e.g., social networking sites, messaging applications, video uploading sites, etc.) over content/data shared over their servers and networks and possible new legislation/policies in relation thereto.

Professional Honors

  • Leading Individual for Dispute Resolution, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2017 to 2022
  • Band 2, Leading Lawyer for Dispute Resolution, Chambers Asia Pacific, 2021
  • Band 3, Leading Lawyer for Dispute Resolution, Chambers Asia Pacific, 2016 to 2019, 2022
  • Spotlight table, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration, Chambers Asia Pacific, 2021 to 2022
  • Band 2, Leading Lawyer for Dispute Resolution: Arbitration, Chambers Asia Pacific, 2016 to 2020
  • Litigation Star for Commercial and Transactions, Benchmark Litigation, 2019 to 2021 
  • Litigation Star for International Arbitration, Benchmark Litigation, 2019 to 2021 
  • Distinguished Practitioner for Dispute Resolution & Litigation, asialaw Leading Lawyers, 2020 to 2022

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Philippine International Center for Conflict Resolution - Secretary General
  • Philippine Institute of Arbitrators - Trustee
  • Philippine Dispute Resolution Center, Inc. - Accredited Arbitrator
  • Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, Accredited Arbitrator
  • Philippine Intellectual Property Office, Accredited Arbitrator
  • The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (East Asia Branch), Philippine Chapter - Member (MCIArb)
  • Singapore International Arbitration Center - User's Council Member
  • Singapore International Arbitration Center - Member, Panel of Arbitrators
  • International Bar Association - Member
  • Inter-Pacific Bar Association - Member

Admissions

  • Philippines (2001)

Education

  • University of the Philippines (LL.B.) (2000)
  • Immaculate Conception Major Seminary (A.B. Philosophy) (1995)

Languages

  • English
  • Filipino

Publications & Presentations

  • Co-author, "Philippines: Recommendation for Virtual Hearings," Quisumbing Torres Client Alert, June 2020
  • Co-author, "NEW Updated Guidelines on Court Operations, Hearings through Videoconference, and Periods for Filing of Pleadings and Other Submissions for ALL courts nationwide", Quisumbing Torres Client Alert, May 2020
  • Co-author, "Updated Guidelines on Court Operations, Hearings through Videoconference, and Periods for Filing of Pleadings and Other Submissions for Areas under MECQ and GCQ", Quisumbing Torres Client Alert, May 202
  • Co-author, "Supreme Court Extends Suspension of Court Operations and Periods for Filing of Pleadings and Other Submissions", Quisumbing Torres Client Alert, April 2020 
  • Moderator, "Arbitration Surgery Workshop: Emergency Arbitrator Relief – What Really Happens in the Emergency Room and Afterwards," Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, 15 March 2013
Quisumbing Torres is a member of Baker & McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein.
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