Four lawyers – Reginald Puno, Timothy Lumauig, Justine Sablan and Katrina Melo – have co-founded their own law firm, Puno & Partners, in March 2026.
Puno is taking the helm as founding and managing partner, while Lumauig, Sablan and Melo are also founding partners and will be based at their office in Taguig City, Metro Manila.
The four lawyers were previously at VAL Law. Puno was managing partner and headed the banking and finance and technology law practice groups, Lumauig was a founding partner and led the tax and corporate practices, while Sablan and Melo were senior associates.
Puno admitted that establishing Puno & Partners “was by no means an easy decision” and involved “setting up shop within a two-week timeline in early March”.
“My partners and I went through quite a lot to get to where we are today. This was never something we thought we had to do, yet we pivoted quickly to adapt to the circumstances,” Puno told Asia Business Law Journal.
Operating as a full-service law firm, Puno & Partners’ corporate law practice – covering M&A and special projects, banking and finance, and technology, media, and telecommunications – is led by Puno, Lumauig and Sablan.
The firm also has a litigation and dispute resolution practice, which is run by Melo and several litigation and labour associates.
Puno & Partners currently comprises four partners, six associates and six non-legal staff. Puno said the firm would hire at least two special counsel soon, with more associates expected to join in mid-to-late 2026.
Looking ahead, Puno has plans for rapid expansion in the next 12 months and aims to forge affiliations both locally and internationally.
“We anticipate that we should be able to double in size within 12 months, with further expansions beyond that. In this regard, we also have plans for affiliations domestically and internationally, which TJ [Lumauig] and I have already begun, and fully intend to continue with the freedom and established principles in our new firm,” he said.
