Manila-based firm Sabornay Law has formed an alliance with Japan’s Uryu & Itoga (U&I) to strengthen cross-border legal capabilities between the Philippines and Japan.
Under the arrangement, Sabornay Law became a member firm of U&I.
“From the perspective of advisory and transactional matters, we aim to support Japanese clients entering or expanding in the Philippines across corporate structuring, market entry, M&A, infrastructure, real estate, and regulatory compliance, as well as dispute avoidance and cross-border dispute resolution,” Ricky Aringo Sabornay, managing attorney at Sabornay Law, told Asia Business Law Journal.
Sabornay added that the firm focused on Japanese corporates ranging from large multinationals to small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as Philippine clients engaging with Japanese partners.
The collaboration developed organically through years of cross-border work and professional engagement, starting before Sabornay Law’s formal launch in January 2026.
Going forward, the firms plan to work through co-ordinated cross-border teams, particularly on corporate and dispute matters, and may also consider reciprocal secondments to strengthen integration and talent development.
In practice, Sabornay Law functions as a Philippine platform for Japan-related work and works closely with U&I’’s Tokyo office on inbound and outbound matters. With Sabornay’s presence in both Tokyo and Manila, the collaboration operates as a real-time bridge between the two jurisdictions.
