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Joseph Manolo R. Rebano
Senior Partner, Leading Maritime Law Expert
CONTACT INFORMATION:
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Mobile Number: (+63) 920 938 4634
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND:
Joseph Rebano has been an integral part of Del Rosario & Del Rosario Law Office since 1996 and currently serves as the head of the firm’s marine casualty practice. His extensive maritime-focused practice encompasses a broad spectrum of legal services, representing vessel owners, charterers, oil majors, traders, ship managers, port terminals, P&I Clubs, and marine insurers in both contentious and non-contentious matters. Joseph’s expertise spans a wide range of shipping issues, including charter party disputes, ship casualties, marine environmental and pollution claims, salvage operations, general average, wreck removal, and the defense of seafarer employment and personal injury claims. His role in advising on ship arrest, ship finance, sale and purchase, rehabilitation, and the carriage of goods by carriage of goods by air, sea and road further underscores his comprehensive maritime knowledge.
Joseph has been pivotal in addressing numerous major marine casualties in the Philippines and other jurisdictions including collisions, fires and groundings. The most recent of which being the Houthi rebels’ missile attack on True Confidence, a ship traveling from China to Jeddah and Aqaba, loaded with cargo compromising steel items and trucks last March of 2024. The terrorist attack took the life of 3 seafarers, 2 of which were Filipino. The remaining 13 Filipinos, along with the rest of the crew members, were injured, bringing the total to 20. Some of the other significant maritime casualties Rebano handled are the “NOL Schedar” in 2000 (grounding or pollution incident resulted in major changes in Philippine maritime environmental legislation), “Solar 1” in 2006 (considered as the Philippines’ largest pollution incident), “Superferry 14” in 2004 (terrorist bombing), and “St Thomas Aquinas” in 2013 (potential wreck removal due to collision).
His deep involvement in these high-profile cases highlights his exceptional capability and dedication to maritime law. In addition to his marine casualty work, Joseph provides expert advice on marine insurance and has substantial experience in commercial dispute resolution, corporate regulatory matters, and transactional issues related to maritime entities including disputes arising out of joint ventures, compliances and shareholder disputes. Rebano meticulously orchestrated and effectively executed what is widely recognized as the largest ship management merger to date, uniting the prominent shipping giants OSM Maritime Group and Thome Group into “OSM Thome”. His strategic guidance was pivotal in combining the rich Norwegian maritime tradition of OSM with the dynamic, modern drive of Thome's Asian business approach. His multifaceted expertise and proven track record make him a leading figure in maritime legal practice.
AWARDS, MEMBERSHIPS, AND AFFILIATIONS:
- Named as one of the Top 100 Lawyers of the Philippines in 2018 by Asia Business Law
- Leading individual for Shipping and Labour & Employment by Legal 500 in 2018
- Leading lawyer for Shipping, Maritime & Aviation and Dispute Resolution by Asia Law in 2018
- Chambers Asia 2012 states: “Joseph Rebano is best known for his expertise in admiralty and related investigations. Sources describe him as “an outstanding lawyer, he is very diligent and very thorough.”
- Joseph was recognized by Asia Business Law as among The Philippines Top 100 lawyers.Past president of the Philippine Maritime Law Association (MARLAW)
- Former Vice Chairman of the Maritime Committee of the IPBA
- Former core group member of the Draft Maritime Code project of the Committee on Transportation, Philippine House of Representatives
LAW PRACTICE AREAS:
- Maritime Law
- Labor Law
EDUCATION:
- Indian Institute of Management- Amhedabad and the Indian Maritime Training Centre, Programme in General Management for Shipping
- Institute of Maritime Law- University of Southampton United Kingdom, Asia Law & Practice program in 2006
- University of the Philippines Diliman, J.D.
- University of the Philippines Diliman, B.S. (Major in Economics) with Honors as Cum Laude