Having access to legal assistance continues to be a problem among Filipinos, resulting in it being difficult for citizens to obtain legal representation. According to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), this exposes individuals to abuses such as illegal arrests, unjust imprisonment, and denial of basic human rights. While these affect regular citizens most of the time, businesses of any size are vulnerable to experiencing these issues as well. Let’s get to know the firms that offer legal assistance to individuals and entrepreneurs in the Philippines.
What is Legal Assistance?
Legal assistance encompasses a wide variety of legal services, from general legal information and guidance to court representation by a legal practitioner. We recognize that distinguishing between these various types of legal aid can be challenging in practice. The following are definitions and explanations of the various forms of legal assistance used in this study.
Initial Legal Assistance
When a lawyer provides first legal assistance to a client, he or she advises or negotiates a case without having to file official court papers or begin litigation. When a solicitor prepares a letter on behalf of a client to respond to a debt demand, this is an example of legal aid. The great majority of legal issues are settled by preliminary legal aid, direct talks, or writing from a legal practitioner to the opposite company or their attorney.
Legal Advisory
This entails using legal knowledge to address the specific conditions that a person or company is experiencing. Legal advice can be offered in person, over the phone, or, in certain situations, over email. When a solicitor advises a client about a particular plan of action after she has received a letter of demand to settle a debt, this is an example of legal advice.
Plain Language Legal Information
Plain language legal information is general information regarding legal concerns conveyed in non-legal terms. It may contain knowledge about specific laws, legal issues, or legal procedures, or it could be details on where to seek legal counsel or representation.
Legal Representation
Legal representation encompasses legal practitioners’ services that extend past initial legal assistance. These types of services may include the preparation of paperwork (e.g., bid contracts, agreements, partnership contracts) and legal representation (e.g., negotiating assets and liabilities). Preparing papers for court appearances (e.g., assertions of claim, affidavits) and representing persons in court and tribunal proceedings are further examples of legal representation.
Why Should Companies Acquire Legal Services?
Before you are sued, you can contact a legal company. When you receive an injunction and complaint, it means that the issue has already occurred, and it is simply a question of how much one ought to shell out (in court expenses, attorneys’ fees, settlements, and other expenditures) to resolve the matter.
Different Types of Lawyers in the Philippines
Tax Lawyer
Tax attorneys are knowledgeable about tax rules and regulations and practice in a number of contexts. Corporations, legal companies, accounting firms, non-profit organizations, and government agencies are examples of these contexts. Their duties include tax planning, analyzing tax law (and its implications for their customers), and conducting extensive research. Tax attorneys need to closely monitor tax law changes and court rulings due to the intricacy of tax rules and how rapidly they might change.
Intellectual Property Lawyer
Intellectual property (IP) attorneys defend and safeguard inventors’, writers’, artists’, and corporations’ rights and innovations. IP law includes copyrighting, patenting, trademarking, and preserving trade secrets for both physical and intangible objects such as company names, advertising slogans, or logos.
Lawyers in this field have three main responsibilities: the first is to advise clients on how to protect their intellectual property best; the second is to protect their intellectual property by registering a company name, copyright, or patent; and the third is to protect their intellectual property rights against infringement of rights.
Estate Planning Lawyer
An estate planning lawyer understands the complexities of property rights, plans, probate proceedings, and corporations’ assets and obligations. They give legal advice and help to guarantee that client assets pass appropriately both within and outside of the will or trust while also addressing tax and legal difficulties. Thus, estate planning attorneys may employ questionnaires to assist clients in evaluating their assets and obligations and making decisions.
Employment and Labor Lawyer
Employment and labor attorneys deal with the connections that exist among organized labor, businesses, and workers. They deal with employment harassment and discrimination, salary and hour standards, incentives, and pension security.
Bankruptcy Lawyer
Bankruptcy attorneys often focus on either consumer or business bankruptcy. Lawyers represent people or lenders in consumer bankruptcy; in commercial bankruptcy, they assist business creditors and debtors. However, as both specialties negotiate options concerning monetary restructurings, plan approvals, and value disputes, the nature of work for bankruptcy attorneys in either specialty is the same.
Corporate Lawyer
Business attorneys, frequently referred to as corporate lawyers, manage legal concerns for companies and verify that all company transactions comply with regulations from all levels of government. Mergers and acquisitions, corporate establishment or dissolution, trademarks, intellectual property, and legal disputes are examples of regular legal activities. A business lawyer may perform legal research, draft and update legal papers, and arrange contracts on a daily basis.
Top Law Offices in the Philippines
DivinaLaw
DivinaLaw is the Philippines’ premier full-service law firm. The company is proud to advocate for and practice dynamic practices of law as a results-oriented and proactive organization. Their clients value their broad range of knowledge and resources, as well as their competent, collaborative work culture, in an expanding and demanding industry such as the Philippines.
Practice Areas
- Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Corporate and Special Projects
- E-Commerce and Technology
- Energy
- Immigration and Naturalization
- Intellectual Property
- Labor
- Legal Education, Legislative Advocacy and Policy Reform
- Litigation
- Risk and Crisis Management
- Tax and Estate Planning
Nicolas and De Vega Law Offices
Nicolas & De Vega Law Offices is another reputable full-service law office in the Philippines. It is committed to providing a wide variety of legal services at efficient and cost-effective rates. It is known to produce efficient and proactive results despite its size. Alongside this, the firm is also recognized as an outstanding law office both locally and internationally.
Practice Areas
- Information Technology Law
- Family Law
- Estate Planning
- Wills and Succession
- Corporate Law Services
- Incorporation and Business Registration
- Due Diligence
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Labor Law
- Commercial Law
- Litigation
- Employment and Labor Law
- Administrative Law
- Criminal and Civil Litigation
- Intellectual Property Law
- Entertainment Law
- Immigration and Citizenship
- Competition and Antitrust Law
- Data Privacy Law and Compliance
- Local and International Taxation
- Admiralty and Maritime Law
- Local Government, Election, and Administrative Law
Yap Kung Ching & Associates Law
While relatively new, the Yap Kung Ching & Associates Law office is among the firms in the country that offer competitive legal services. The firm is strategically located in the country’s business districts in Makati City. The firm’s specialties include Business Registration, Corporate Law, Tax, Labor Law, and Civil cases for both individual and corporate clients.
Practice Areas
- Real Estate
- Taxation
- Immigration Law
- Labor Law
- Family Law
- Litigation
- Corporate Law
- Market Entry
Aumento Intellectual Property Law
The firm is a well-known intellectual property law firm in the Philippines comprised of legal professionals, authorized patent agents, and trademark specialists with several years of expertise in intellectual property law. Aumento Intellectual Property Law represents foreign and domestic clients and provides a full range of IP-related solutions.
Practice Areas
- Patent
- Trademarks
- Copyright
- Licensing
- Franchising
- Technology Transfer
- Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights
- Litigation
- IP Due Diligence
- Business Registration
- Incorporation
Abo Law Firm
This firm is recognized among the excellently performing law offices in the country. Abo Law Firm provides outstanding legal services to individuals and corporations alike. The firm offers solutions for legal matters such as business registration, court representation, immigration, fintech services, and family law. The firm is also a notable organization that offers notary services and public assistance.
Practice Areas
- Civil Litigation
- Family Law
- Corporate Law and Special Projects
- Power and Mining
- Administrative
- Naturalization and Immigration
- Taxation
- Intellectual Property
- Criminal Litigation
Puno Law
The firm is one of the leading law offices in the Philippines, recognized for its high-quality legal service and representation of clients. PunoLaw was founded in 1984, and it has held its title of excellency since then. The firm practices in diverse areas, representing both individuals and corporations. The organization also has clients who are well-known corporations in the country, establishing its credibility and reputation as a law office.
Practice Areas
- Corporate Law
- Commercial Law
- Data Privacy and Cybercrime
- Election Law
- Environmental Law
- Family law
- Immigration
- Insolvency and Financial Rehabilitation
- Intellectual Property
- Labor and Employment
- Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Mining
- Privatization and Public-Private Partnerships
- Real Estate Planning
- Regulatory and Legislative Advocacy
- Taxation
Carpo Law & Associates
Carpo Law & Associates is a specialist corporate law practice that aids local and international organizations with inbound foreign investments from small, medium-sized, and multinational corporations looking to conduct business in the Philippines. The firm specializes in providing corporations and businesses of different sizes with legal advice across different areas.
Practice Areas
- Corporate Law
- Commercial Law
- Intellectual Property
- Corporate Tax Law
- Labor Law
- Real Estate
- Litigation and Family Law
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan
This firm is among the long-standing firms in the Philippines that have established itself as a reputable legal office. The SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan law firm is active in providing legal services across different areas, especially in corporate law. The firm has also gained recognition for its proficiency and has garnered the attention of local and international organizations.
Practice Areas
- Corporate Law
- Commercial Law
- Banking, Finance, and Securities
- E-Commerce and Technology
- Employment, Labor Relations, and Immigration
- Insurance
- Intellectual Property Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Privatization
- Real Estate Law
- Trade Law and Customs Regulation
When operating a business, you may encounter legal circumstances that need you to seek legal counsel. In such cases, you ought to seek an attorney who can provide you with suitable legal advice and protect you from any legal difficulties.
You may encounter countless challenging situations when operating a business, and you may wish to reevaluate many things. These may involve managing financial flow, employing staff, scheduling, developing advertising strategies, raising funding for a business, and many other things. However, not all of your issues will be addressed. Some will necessitate the intervention of a legal professional. This is why we compiled a list of firms in the Philippines where you may seek legal advice as an entrepreneur.
