Providing remote and cross-border counsel on international commercial contracts, data privacy, and emerging technologies, while representing clients in civil and labor matters.
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I am a Philippine-licensed lawyer with more than a decade of experience, focusing on commercial law and contracts law. My practice helps businesses, NGOs, international organizations, and individual clients navigate complex legal and commercial matters remotely, with risk-based advice and action. My principal area of practice is cross-border commercial law focused on contracts, covering the full contract life cycle.
I have a deep appreciation for litigation and continue to practice it with enthusiasm. I find trial work engaging and challenging, and I value the discipline, tenacity, and courage it demands. Apart from litigation, my work also include mediation and other forms of dispute resolution.
I bring together international commercial experience and local practice to help clients navigate complex legal matters with clarity and confidence. I have also embraced emerging technologies, including AI, to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of my legal work while remaining grounded in the fundamentals of the legal profession.
Practice Areas
I practice commercial law, focusing on contracts. I advise individuals, businesses, NGOs, and international organizations on a broad range of contractual and commercial matters.
I support clients throughout the full contract life cycle, from drafting, negotiation, and review to execution, implementation, amendment, and termination, keeping in mind applicable legal and regulatory considerations such as data protection and jurisdictional, organizational, or sector-specific laws and regulations. I also assist with mediation and arbitration when contractual disputes arise.
My experience includes procurement and vendor contracts, project implementation agreements, construction contracts, donor and funding agreements, service and lease agreements, and other commercial and institutional arrangements. I also develop contract templates and use emerging technologies, including AI-enabled tools, to support contract drafting, review, analysis, and workflow automation.
I practice litigation across civil, criminal, labor, and administrative matters, representing individuals, businesses, NGOs, and other clients in various legal proceedings.
My work covers legal research, case assessment, pleadings, evidence, case preparation, trial work, and litigation strategy, as well as mediation, settlement, and other forms of dispute resolution. I have handled cases ranging from collection matters in small claims proceedings to high-stakes and high-value litigation.
While I am already an experienced litigator, I learned to integrate emerging technologies, including AI, into my practice to enhance legal research, case preparation, analysis, and workflow.
Beyond my professional practice, I maintain a commitment to legal advocacy involving environmental protection and the rights and interests of disadvantaged communities.
As an independent legal consultant working remotely, I provide legal services to individuals, businesses, NGOs, and intergovernmental organizations, both local and international, focusing on commercial law and contracts while also addressing other legal matters. I continue to practice litigation with enthusiasm, finding trial work both engaging and intellectually challenging.
I solidified my expertise in contract law and contract lifecycle management as National Legal Officer in the Contract Law Division of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations migration agency. I handled institutional and commercial contracts and coordinated with UN agencies, governments, private donors, intergovernmental organizations, NGOs, and other stakeholders in relation to international programs and operations.
I began my legal practice at Jimeno Cope & David Law Offices, gaining experience in labor, contract, corporate, civil, and criminal law. I later joined Raymond Fortun Law Offices, now Fortun and Santos Law Offices, where I strengthened my practice in criminal and civil litigation, contracts, and corporate law.
CONTACT
Whether you require legal representation, strategic legal advice, or assistance with commercial and international legal matters, I welcome the opportunity to discuss how I may assist you.
melki@melkilegal.com
02 CZCR Square
NLSA Road
Barangay San Isidro
General Santos City 9500