American Lawyer in Manila

Hello, I am an American lawyer and member of the Florida Bar on an extended vacation here in the Philippines. I have been in Asia for almost 4 years, spending a little time in Korea before coming to the Philippines. I am currently residing in Quezon City, not too far from Cubao and the campuses of Ateneo and UP.

I earned both my J.D. and an LL.M. in Real Property Development from the University of Miami in Florida, USA. I am interested in learning more about Philippine law and engaging in stimulating discussions on law and life with my fellow attorneys, and students, too. Feel free to ask me any questions regarding law school or working in the USA and anything else you care to ask. I have a general background in various areas of law and vast experience in Real Property law.

I look forward to meeting you all online and, hopefully, in person, too.

Take care.

Iam an american citizen that got married here with a legal capacity to marry. wife is a philippine citizen. can i do it here in leu of doing it in the states?

Assuming by "do it" you mean marry. Yes, your marriage in the Philippines will be recognized by the states of the US. If you are thinking of moving back to the US, you will need to make sure you have all your paperwork regarding the marriage when you go to the embassy to get her visa. Your wife will also need to comply with the Philippine immigration requirements before she is allowed to leave.

One issue that hopefully will not be in your future but may arise down the road is divorce. Although you can end the Philippine marriage in the US by divorce, it is my ubderstanding that the divorce will not be recognized by the Philippines. A member of the Philippines Bar can better advise you on the issue, but just be aware that if you attempt to marry again even after a legally valid divorce in the US, you might have legal troubles if you return to the Philippines. I think there is an annulment procedure, but I have no idea how that works.