Romulo

What Romulo does

Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & de los Angeles is a Philippine-headquartered full-service law firm operating as a private partnership, founded in the early 20th century (firmographic data cites 1902; internal timeline cites 1920) and headquartered in the Makati City financial district with a secondary office in Cebu City. The firm provides legal services across eleven practice areas: Banking & Finance, Corporate, Intellectual Property, Labor & Immigration, Litigation & Arbitration, Technology Media & Telecommunications, Project Development & Finance, Real Estate & Natural Resources, Securities, Taxation, and Transportation. It serves Philippine and foreign corporations, financial institutions, multilateral organizations, and high-net-worth individuals requiring complex regulatory, transactional, and dispute resolution work.

The firm has no proprietary technology platform; its core offering is professional legal counsel delivered by partners, senior associates, and associates. Its business model is professional services fees charged on a per-engagement basis, with no publicly disclosed pricing. Distribution is direct: partners engage clients in person across the Manila and Cebu offices, supplemented by referral flows from its exclusive Lex Mundi membership, the only such Philippines membership in the world's leading network of independent law firms spanning 100+ countries.

Leadership is anchored by an Executive Board chaired by Senior Partner Ricardo J. Romulo, with Vice-Chairman and CFO Jose F. Buenaventura and practice-group heads for each of the eleven areas. Senior partners include Harvard Law, Georgetown, Ateneo, and University of the Philippines graduates, with multiple Band 1 Chambers and Partners-ranked practitioners. The firm has accumulated sustained recognition from Chambers Asia-Pacific, IFLR1000, Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Asialaw, and Asian Counsel, with an Asialaw Outstanding Firm award in 2023 and IFLR Asia Awards in 2014 and 2018. Revenue and headcount are not publicly disclosed; the firm reports 101-250 employees.

Name

Romulo

Legal name

Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & de los Angeles

Website

https://romulo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & de los Angeles is a Philippine full-service law firm headquartered in Makati City with a secondary office in Cebu. It serves corporate, institutional, and multinational clients across eleven practice areas, and is the exclusive Lex Mundi member firm for the Philippines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate & Commercial Law (BPAHAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law (BPAHAAAI)

Keywords

• Commercial legal services
• Litigation arbitration
• Corporate law practice
• Banking finance law
• Intellectual property law

Headquarters

HQ city

Makati

HQ country

Philippines

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: The firm generates revenue through professional legal fees charged for advisory, transactional, litigation, and other legal services to corporate and individual clients. Fee structures are tailored per engagement and follow standard Philippine legal industry practices.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & de los Angeles is a full-service Philippine law firm providing legal counsel across banking and finance, corporate, securities, intellectual property, litigation and arbitration, labor and immigration, technology media and telecom, project development and finance, real estate, taxation, and transportation matters. The firm serves Philippine and international corporate, institutional, and high-net-worth clients through partner-led direct engagement from offices in Makati City and Cebu City. Revenue is generated from professional legal fees billed on a per-engagement basis, consistent with standard Philippine legal industry practices.

Product overview

Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & de los Angeles is a Philippine-based law firm offering a comprehensive suite of legal services across multiple practice areas. The firm provides legal counsel through distinct practice area departments including Banking & Finance, Corporate, Intellectual Property, Labor & Immigration, Litigation & Arbitration, Technology Media & Telecom, Project Development & Finance, Real Estate & Natural Resources, Securities, Taxation, and Transportation. The firm serves as exclusive member for Lex Mundi in the Philippines, providing access to independent law firms in over 100 countries worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Banking & Finance Legal Services Legal counsel and representation for banking and finance transactions, including debt and equity transactions, regulatory compliance with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and corporate finance matters, provided to Philippine and multinational financial institutions and corporations.
• Corporate Legal Services Comprehensive corporate law services including incorporation, corporate governance, joint ventures, foreign investments, and regulatory compliance with Philippine regulatory agencies, provided to local and multinational corporations.
• Intellectual Property Services Patent, trademark, and copyright registration, enforcement, and litigation services before the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, provided to local and international brand owners and rights holders.
• Labor & Immigration Services Labor law counsel including employment matters, collective bargaining, work permits, visa applications, and Bureau of Immigration representation, provided to Philippine employers and multinational companies with Philippine operations.
• Litigation & Arbitration Services Civil, criminal, and commercial litigation before Philippine courts, plus domestic and international arbitration under ICC, SIAC, HKIAC, and other arbitral institutions, provided to corporate and institutional clients.
• Technology, Media & Telecom Legal Services Legal counsel for technology companies, telecommunications entities, e-commerce, FinTech, gaming companies, and cloud service providers on licensing, regulatory compliance, and data privacy matters in the Philippines.
• Project Development & Finance Legal services for energy, infrastructure, mining, and project finance transactions including government contracts, privatizations, and public biddings, provided to project sponsors and developers in the Philippines.
• Real Estate & Natural Resources Legal counsel on land ownership, government land leases, mining ventures, environmental law compliance, and real estate transactions in the Philippines, provided to property developers, mining companies, and landowners.
• Securities Services Capital markets practice including initial public offerings, follow-on offerings, bond issuances, securities registration with SEC and PSE, and regulatory compliance, provided to Philippine and international issuers and underwriters.
• Taxation Legal Services Tax planning, tax litigation, tax assessments, tax refunds, corporate reorganizations, and representation before the Bureau of Internal Revenue, provided to corporate taxpayers and high-net-worth individuals in the Philippines.
• Transportation Legal Services Maritime and transportation law including ship arrest, seaman claims, vessel acquisitions, admiralty matters, and aviation law, provided to shipowners, maritime claimants, airlines, and transportation operators.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Lex MundicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRomulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & de los Angeles is the exclusive member firm for Lex Mundi in the Philippines. Lex Mundi is the world's leading network of independent law firms with in-depth experience in over 100 countries worldwide. This membership enables the firm to refer clients to member firms globally and receive referrals from international law firms seeking Philippine legal counsel.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw): Largest and one of the oldest full-service Philippine law firms, with the broadest practice coverage and the deepest bench across corporate, M&A, litigation, IP, and tax. Most direct competitor to Romulo for top-tier Philippine corporate mandates.
• Quisumbing Torres (Baker McKenzie member): Exclusive Baker McKenzie member firm in the Philippines, offering full-service legal coverage with strong cross-border coordination. Competes directly with Romulo for multinational and inbound FDI mandates, leveraging Baker McKenzie's global network against Romulo's Lex Mundi membership.
• ACCRALAW (Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz): One of the largest Philippine full-service firms, with strong corporate, litigation, and regulatory practices. A top-tier direct competitor for institutional and government-linked clients.
• Villaraza & Angangco (V&A Law): Prominent Philippine full-service firm with leading corporate, M&A, tax, and litigation practices. Frequently cited as a top-tier alternative to Romulo for sophisticated corporate mandates.
• Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose: Established Philippine full-service law firm with strong corporate, securities, banking, and litigation practices. Direct competitor in the same Manila-based top-tier segment.
• Platon Martinez Flores San Pedro & Leagogo: Long-standing Philippine full-service firm covering corporate, M&A, litigation, and IP. Competes with Romulo for mid-to-large enterprise and family-owned corporate clients.
• Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia: Full-service Philippine law firm with notable strength in corporate, M&A, securities, and dispute resolution. An established direct peer competing for top-tier mandates.
• Puno & Puno Law Offices: Philippine law firm with strong corporate, real estate, and litigation practices. Comparable in scale and segment focus to Romulo, serving similar corporate clientele.

Broad incumbents

• Allen & Gledhill: One of the largest full-service law firms in Southeast Asia, based in Singapore, with extensive Asia-Pacific reach across corporate, finance, and dispute resolution. A broader incumbent that competes for regional mandates involving Philippine elements.
• Baker McKenzie: Global mega-firm with a Philippine presence through Quisumbing Torres. Competes with Romulo for the largest cross-border M&A, finance, and project mandates touching the Philippines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/romulo-law-offices

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Romulo