The Asian Legal Business Philippine Law Awards revealed the winners in the individual categories on Thursday, with former lawmaker Margarita Ignacia “Migs” Nograles-Almario bagging the Woman Lawyer of the Year title.
Nograles is from the Nograles Ilagan Cayco Lizada Dabi Law firm.
The other individual winners are the following:
Data Privacy and Protection Lawyer of the Year: Anthony Edsel Tupaz of Gorriceta Africa Cauton & Saavedra
Dealmaker of the Year: John Henley Godinez of the Godinez Espiritu Legarde Law Offices
Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year: Dranyl Jared Amoroso of Quisumbing Torres
In-House Lawyer of the Year: Leila Paz-Aguba of UnionBank of the Philippines
Managing Partner of the Year (Boutique): Elyrhey Cesar Vasig of Vasig Abarquez Ner Urgello Lim Law
Young Lawyer of the Year (In-House): Janna Jee-Anne Abella of Emerson Electric Asia Ltd.
Young Lawyer of the Year (Law Firm): Mary Aubbrey Leigh Lim-Barreras of Vasig Abarquez Ner Urgello Lim Law
In a Facebook post, Nograles said she is grateful and honored for the recognition and to represent Mindanao.
She thanked ALB, the members of her firm, her family, clients, friends, mentors and all those who have been part of her journey.
“This recognition is especially meaningful to me because I am proud to carry with it our roots from Mindanao, the Davao Region, and a homegrown Davao-founded law firm and to be the first Woman Lawyer of the Year awardee to do so,” she said.
She also explained that she was unable to attend the ceremonies because she has to prioritize her mommy duties.
She recently gave birth to her first baby.
Nograles said that before she became a mother, she would have seen herself celebrating this milestone all dressed up in the ballroom.
“But motherhood has changed the way I see milestones, because sometimes, the most important place you can be is not on the stage, but right at home with your little one. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” she said.