Gulapa Law

A Philippine boutique law firm based in Manila with offices in New York City and San Francisco, focusing on innovative areas including infrastructure, government procurement, i-technology and digital research, antitrust/competition, ASEAN trade, FEM (fashion, entertainment and media), and other non-traditional sectors. Gulapa Law Office was established by Aris L. Gulapa in September 2015 after he left a Makati-based firm where he was a partner for four years. Before this, Aris was an associate in Anderson Mori & Tomotsune (Tokyo, ‎2008-2010); Kelvin Chia Partnership (Singapore/Vietnam, ‎2006-2008); and SyCip Law ‎(2003-2006). Aris was joined by Charmaine Haw-Lim (who was promoted to partner in 2017), Melissa Chavez, Angel Machuca, Yasmin Sanchez, Aileen Sanguir, Dake Mandocdoc, and Janine Mesina, who all worked closely with Aris in their former firm. Subsequently, New York-based Oliver Baclay joined the firm to establish its intellectual property practice. In less than a year, the firm was recognized as a leading Philippine law firm by international legal publications. In February 2017, the firm became the first Philippine-based law firm to establish an office in New York City through its affiliate, Gulapa & Baclay LLP. In 2017 as well, the firm sought to develop its litigation practice. The firm desired a legal practitioner who had its own litigation practice and found this in Rico Paolo R. Quicho. Rico has been managing his own boutique litigation law firm, Quicho & Angeles, for more than twelve years. Thus, beginning November 2017, the firm changed its name to “Gulapa & Quicho (Gulapa Law)”. In June 2018, Gulapa Law became the first Philippine-based law firm to establish a representative office in San Francisco. To date, Gulapa Law has more than doubled its size from eight to eighteen lawyers. It continues to expand globally, transcending borders and servicing more international clients, in line with its vision to innovate, achieve and excel.