Corporate and Commercial

What this area covers

Business and corporate consulting concerns how an enterprise is formed, governed, and organized as it operates. We advise on the choice and structure of a business, the agreements it relies on, and the corporate requirements that follow from being a registered entity.

This work is advisory in nature: setting matters up correctly at the start so that disputes and penalties are less likely later.

Matters we handle

• Advice on business registration and structuring

• Review and drafting of commercial contracts

• Guidance on corporate housekeeping and reportorial requirements

• Ongoing advisory and retainer support

How these matters typically proceed

The first decision is usually the form of the business. A corporation is organized under the Revised Corporation Code (Republic Act No. 11232) and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), while a sole proprietorship registers its business name with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The choice affects liability, ownership, and reporting.

Once registered, an entity carries continuing obligations among them the annual general information sheet and other reportorial requirements filed with the SEC. Reviewing contracts and governance documents as the business grows reduces the risk that a routine arrangement becomes a dispute.

Related areas

Corporate consulting is closely tied to our Contract Law practice and, where an enterprise has employees, to Labor Law.