Mae Divinagracia Biography
Mae S. Divinagracia is a Filipino attorney based in Metro Manila, Philippines. She is known for her work as a litigator, managing partner at CNVD Law (also referred to as CNDLAW in recent reports), part-time faculty member at Ateneo Law School, and more recently as a private prosecutor in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. Public records identify her as a graduate of Ateneo de Manila University who began practicing law after admission to the Philippine Bar in 2008.
Available professional biographies and contemporary news coverage focus primarily on her legal career path, areas of practice, representation of clients in complex litigation, and participation in high-visibility proceedings. Detailed personal background information, including exact place of birth and extensive early-life accounts, remains limited in publicly accessible sources. This biography draws only from verified professional profiles, firm information, and reported activities to provide an accurate overview.
Mae Divinagracia Early Life
Mae S. Divinagracia was born in 1982. She is a Filipino national whose professional life has centered in Metro Manila. Specific details about her place of birth, family background, childhood, or formative experiences prior to university are not widely documented in reliable public sources. The surname Divinagracia appears in various regions of the Philippines, including areas with Visayan historical connections, yet no confirmed information ties her personally to a particular province or municipality of origin beyond her long-term base in the capital region.
Her path into the legal profession is evidenced by her academic record at Ateneo de Manila University, one of the country’s leading institutions. Public professional listings confirm both undergraduate and law degrees from this university, indicating that her early adult years involved rigorous study in Manila. Beyond these facts, further particulars of her upbringing or pre-college life are not available in authoritative reports and therefore cannot be detailed here.
Mae Divinagracia Education
Mae S. Divinagracia earned both her undergraduate degree (B.S.) and her Juris Doctor from Ateneo de Manila University. She completed her law studies in 2007. While enrolled in the law program she participated actively in international moot court competitions and received several awards for her performance. These competitions provided practical training in oral advocacy, legal research, and argumentation under pressure, skills that later defined her courtroom work.
Admission to the Philippine Bar followed in 2008. This milestone authorized her to practice law throughout the country. Ateneo’s legal education emphasizes Jesuit values of service and excellence alongside technical competence, forming part of the foundation for her subsequent career in both private practice and teaching. No additional postgraduate degrees or specialized certifications beyond the standard Philippine legal credentials appear in available professional summaries.
Mae Divinagracia Career
Mae S. Divinagracia entered private practice shortly after finishing law school.
Early Years at ACCRALAW
In December 2007 she joined the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala and Cruz Law Offices, commonly known as ACCRALAW, one of the largest and most established firms in the Philippines. She advanced to senior associate by 2012. During this period she gained experience in commercial and general litigation within a high-volume institutional setting that handles significant corporate and individual matters.
Founding of RADLAW
In 2013 she co-founded the Aguila Rances and Divinagracia Law Offices, referred to as RADLAW, together with colleagues. This step allowed her to develop trial skills in a more independent environment while continuing to represent clients in diverse disputes.
Partnership at CNVD Law
In 2015 she joined CNVD Law as a partner. She later became managing partner. The firm is located in San Juan, Metro Manila, with offices at Unit C and D, 10th Floor, GH Tower, N Western Street, Greenhills Center. Her practice there has centered on aggressive advocacy for clients. She has handled matters involving commercial litigation, corporate rehabilitation, banking issues, family law, intellectual property, real estate litigation, civil and criminal cases, arbitration, product liability, intra-corporate controversies, and labor disputes. She is described in firm materials as a skilled litigator who takes cases to trial or arbitration when necessary yet also seeks efficient resolutions to avoid prolonged and costly proceedings when possible.
Representation of High-Profile Clients
Among her known engagements, she served as legal counsel for the late Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Catalina “Cathy” Cabral. In that capacity she addressed media inquiries, clarified her client’s position regarding documents and investigations related to flood-control projects and budget processes, and spoke about Cabral’s cooperation with official bodies as well as the personal toll of public scrutiny. She emphasized due process and rejected unsubstantiated claims surrounding Cabral’s death and related matters. These statements appeared in interviews and public remarks in late 2025 and early 2026.
Role as Private Prosecutor
In 2026 she was introduced as a private prosecutor for the House of Representatives panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte before the Senate sitting as an impeachment court. On the 18th day of proceedings she conducted the direct examination of Lemuel Ortonio, assistant chief of staff of the Office of the Vice President, who had been declared a hostile witness. During the examination she held a wooden comfort cross bearing an image of Padre Pio, explaining afterward that she carries it for confidence and clarity of mind in court. She described the alleged misuse of confidential funds as a “scam” and referred to the Vice President in strong terms regarding responsibility for the funds’ use and liquidation, later apologizing for the intensity of language while maintaining the substance of the prosecution’s position. She has stated that her participation focuses on the pursuit of justice rather than personal recognition and that her prior representation of clients does not create a conflict of interest with her role in seeking public accountability.
Mae Divinagracia Professional Practice and Specializations
Her work spans multiple areas of Philippine law. In commercial and corporate matters she represents businesses and individuals in disputes involving contracts, rehabilitation proceedings, banking relationships, and intra-corporate conflicts. Family law cases form another component of her practice. She also handles intellectual property, real estate, labor, and product liability litigation. Criminal litigation and arbitration complete the range of matters she has addressed. Firm descriptions highlight her ability to communicate clearly, apply creativity to legal problems, and balance aggressive courtroom advocacy with practical settlement when appropriate. Languages listed in professional directories include English and Filipino.
Mae Divinagracia Teaching Career
Mae S. Divinagracia serves as a part-time member of the Ateneo Law School faculty. She teaches Criminal Law 1 and Criminal Law 2. This role allows her to share practical insights from active litigation with students preparing for the bar and professional practice. Teaching at her alma mater reflects continuity between her educational background and ongoing contribution to legal training in the Philippines.
Mae Divinagracia Awards and Recognition
During her time in law school at Ateneo de Manila University she received several awards for participation and performance in international moot court competitions. These recognitions acknowledge excellence in advocacy skills at the student level. No extensive list of later professional awards, honors, or citations appears in currently available public profiles or news reports. Her visibility has increased through high-profile client representation and the impeachment proceedings rather than through formal award announcements.
Mae Divinagracia Personal Life
Public information about Mae S. Divinagracia’s personal life is limited. She has not shared extensive details regarding family, marital status, children, or private interests in professional biographies or media interviews. During the impeachment trial she was observed holding a comfort cross associated with Catholic devotion, specifically featuring Padre Pio, and she confirmed that she keeps it with her for court appearances because it provides a sense of calm and mental clarity. This detail offers a modest indication of personal faith. Beyond such observations and her professional base in Metro Manila, further personal particulars remain outside the public record and are therefore not included.
Conclusion
Mae S. Divinagracia has built a career as a litigator and educator grounded in solid academic preparation at Ateneo de Manila University and progressive experience across major and boutique firms. From her start at ACCRALAW through the founding of RADLAW and her partnership and later managing role at CNVD Law, she has focused on diverse civil, commercial, criminal, and related disputes. Her representation of Catalina Cabral and her service as a private prosecutor in the 2026 Sara Duterte impeachment trial have placed her work under greater public scrutiny. Available sources portray a practitioner who emphasizes justice, due process, and effective advocacy. While early-life and personal details remain sparsely documented, her professional trajectory is clear and continues to evolve through courtroom practice, firm leadership, and teaching.
FAQs
Who is Mae Divinagracia?
Mae S. Divinagracia is a Filipino lawyer, managing partner at CNVD Law in Metro Manila, part-time professor of criminal law at Ateneo Law School, and a private prosecutor in the House panel for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. She graduated from Ateneo de Manila University and was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2008.
When was Mae Divinagracia born?
Public professional listings indicate she was born in 1982. Exact date and place of birth beyond the year are not detailed in widely available sources.
What is Mae Divinagracia’s educational background?
She received both her undergraduate B.S. degree and her Juris Doctor from Ateneo de Manila University, completing law studies in 2007. She participated in international moot court competitions and earned awards during law school. She was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2008.
What law firms has Mae Divinagracia worked with?
She began at Angara Abello Concepcion Regala and Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALAW) in December 2007 and became a senior associate in 2012. In 2013 she co-founded Aguila Rances and Divinagracia Law Offices (RADLAW). In 2015 she joined CNVD Law as a partner and later became managing partner.
What areas of law does Mae Divinagracia practice?
Her practice includes commercial litigation, corporate rehabilitation, banking, family law, intellectual property, real estate litigation, civil and criminal litigation, arbitration, product liability, intra-corporate controversies, and labor law.
What is Mae Divinagracia’s connection to Catalina Cabral?
She served as legal counsel for the late DPWH Undersecretary Catalina Cabral. In that role she addressed public statements about documents, investigations into infrastructure projects, her client’s cooperation with authorities, and related matters following Cabral’s death.
What role has Mae Divinagracia played in the Sara Duterte impeachment trial?
She was introduced as a private prosecutor for the House panel. On one hearing day she conducted the direct examination of hostile witness Lemuel Ortonio, assistant chief of staff of the Office of the Vice President, and addressed issues surrounding the use of confidential funds. She carried a comfort cross during proceedings and later explained its personal significance for focus and confidence.
Does Mae Divinagracia teach law?
Yes. She is a part-time faculty member at Ateneo Law School, where she teaches Criminal Law 1 and Criminal Law 2.
Are there known awards for Mae Divinagracia?
She received several awards for her participation in international moot court competitions while studying law at Ateneo de Manila University. Broader professional awards are not prominently listed in available sources.
Where is Mae Divinagracia based?
Her professional practice is centered in Metro Manila, Philippines, with her firm office in San Juan.