Following the end of the 6-year tenure of Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines director-general lawyer Rowel Barba, Brigitte M. da Costa-Villaluz, also a lawyer, takes his place.

IPOPHL said Da Costa-Villaluz is a distinguished lawyer with extensive experience in IP law.

“Da Costa-Villaluz has worked on complex cases involving trademarks, patents, copyrights, and commercial law. She is the founder of BDCV Law and was previously a partner at Poblador Bautista and Reyes Law Offices, where she built a distinguished career handling IP litigation, enforcement, and corporate governance,” the IPOPHL said.

Further, Da Costa-Villaluz, throughout her career, has been recognized for her expertise in IP law, earning accolades such as being named a Trademark Star by Managing IP in 2021 and 2022, as well as being featured in Asia IP Informed Analysis IP Expert in 2023 and 2024.

IP law expert

She has also been commended by Legal 500 for her exceptional work in IP prosecution.

Da Costa-Villaluz was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1997 after graduating from the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law, where she earned her Juris Doctor degree in 1996, ranking 9th in her class.

She is also a graduate of the University of the Philippines School of Economics, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Economics.

“With her legal acumen, leadership experience, and passion for IP, Da Costa-Villaluz is poised to play a pivotal role in advancing IP protection, shaping the future of innovation, and supporting the growth of industries vital to the nation’s economic development,” the IPOPHL said.

“I am deeply honored by the opportunity to serve the country together with the men and women of IPOPHL. We will continue the close work with IP rights holders to elevate the use of the intellectual property system towards creativity, innovation, and inclusive prosperity,” Da Costa-Villaluz, for her part, said.