Category Archives: Senior Associates

Nigel Carmelo Q. Reago is a Senior Associate at Romulo, specializing in Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) law.

He assists a wide range of clients, including technology solution providers, telecommunications entities, e-commerce companies, software firms, IT service providers, FinTech firms, gaming companies, cloud service providers, asset management companies, foundations, and cooperatives, in navigating the Philippines’ multifaceted legal landscape.

His practice covers licensing, regulatory compliance, data privacy, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, gaming, labor, tax, customs, government procurement, corporate governance, and other general corporate matters.

Nigel guides clients through licensing and regulatory requirements, particularly with entities regulated by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (i.e., Private Express and/or Messengerial Delivery Service operators, Independent Tower Companies, and Satellite Systems Providers or Operators), National Telecommunications Commission, and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

His experience includes handling corporate transactions such as mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, minority investments, and restructurings, including providing counsel on tax implications, data privacy concerns, employee transfers, and intellectual property considerations within these complex deals.

He also advises clients on technology transfer arrangements and drafts and negotiates software license agreements and end-user agreements. Nigel also assists clients with data privacy matters, including crafting and reviewing privacy statements and policies, data sharing and outsourcing agreements, and compliance with mandatory breach notification and registration requirements with the National Privacy Commission.

In addition, he represents local and multinational clients before the Bureau of Customs in seizure, forfeiture, and abandonment proceedings and in issues involving the valuation of goods and importer accreditation.
Nigel earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Santo Tomas. He graduated as valedictorian of his class from the De La Salle University College of Law in 2018 and joined Romulo in 2019. He was admitted to the Philippine Bar the same year.

Aaron Sanchez is a senior associate of the Dispute Resolution Department of the firm. He handles commercial disputes involving civil litigation and/or arbitration, government investigations, and criminal prosecution and defense. He advocates before the trial courts, various government agencies, the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court. He also renders advice on transactional and regulatory matters involving mergers and acquisitions.

Aaron’s work deals with a wide array of industries, including energy, natural resources, construction, distribution, real estate, mining, and telecommunications.

Aaron studied law at the University of the Philippines (UP) and obtained his Juris Doctor in 2018. He was a member of the Order of the Purple Feather, the UP College of Law’s honors society, and served as an editor of the Philippine Law Journal, Volume 90. For his undergraduate degree, he studied Economics at UP and graduated magna cum laude in 2013. Aaron was admitted to the Philippine bar in 2019 and joined the firm in the same year.

Erika is an associate who works with the Securities, Project Development and Finance, and Corporate Banking Departments.

Since passing the Philippine Bar in 2017, Erika has had the opportunity of advising and representing clients in various fields of practice, such as corporate law and regulatory compliance, commercial law, taxation, civil and criminal litigation, and estate settlement.

Erika’s practice presently focuses on assisting issuers, shareholders, and investment banks in securities transactions such as initial public offerings, follow-on offerings, and top-up placements. She provides legal support for various regulatory filings, which involves representing clients before the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc.

Erika graduated cum laude from the Ateneo de Manila University in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts (Journalism Track) and a minor in Hispanic Studies.

She obtained her juris doctor degree from the Ateneo Law School in 2016, was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2017, and joined the Firm in 2021.

Madelyn May Ong Chang is a senior associate who is a member of the Securities Department. Her practice focuses on securities, capital markets, and mergers and acquisitions.

Madz assists in advising issuers and underwriters in securities transactions. She also provides legal advice on doing business in the Philippines, data privacy, and competition law. Madz represents domestic and foreign clients before administrative agencies and quasi-judicial bodies such as the Securities Exchange Commission, the Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. She has reviewed and drafted contracts and other transaction documents and coordinated with various regulatory agencies in relation to registration, licensing, and compliance matters.

Madz received her bachelor’s degree in Management, major in Legal Management and minor in Project Management, from the Ateneo de Manila University in 2012. She received her juris doctor degree from the same university in 2018 where she graduated Salutatorian. She was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2019 and joined the firm in the same year.

Denise is a senior associate whose current practice focuses on corporate law, competition law, securities, taxation, and foreign investments.

Denise Anne V. Sales represents domestic and foreign clients before administrative agencies and quasi-judicial bodies such as the Securities Exchange Commission, Department of Trade and Industry, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Insurance Commission, Competition Commission, and Bureau of Internal Revenue. She has reviewed and drafted contracts and other transaction documents, conducted due diligence for different transactions, and coordinated with various regulatory agencies in relation to registration, licensing, and compliance matters.

Denise also advises clients on various aspects of taxation, commercial, and civil law, including matters related to securities, investments, competition, and mergers and acquisitions.

She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Economics, minor in English Literature from the Ateneo de Manila University in 2012. She thereafter received her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law in 2016 where she graduated with honors. She was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2017 and joined the firm in the same year.

Denise graduated from Columbia University in the City of New York (Columbia Law) with a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in May 2024. She was also chosen to participate in Columbia Law’s New York State Office of the Attorney General Antitrust Enforcement Externship Program where she worked with the Assistant Attorneys General of the Antitrust Bureau in a variety of areas, including challenging anticompetitive monopolization schemes, cartels, and mergers.

Eleanor Joan S. Zosa is a Senior Associate with the Dispute Resolution Department of the firm.  She is also a member of the Project Development & Finance, Technology, Media, & Telecommunications, and General Corporate Departments. 

She has represented clients in disputes and transactions involving construction, oil and gas, renewable energy, mining, aviation, gaming, tourism, real estate, automotive, insurance, shipping, healthcare, strict product liability, land reform, indigenous rights, shareholder rights, corporate rehabilitation, data privacy, intellectual property, shipping, distributorship agreements, legislative franchises, sovereign rights and immunities, and taxation.

Ely handles international and domestic arbitrations as well as arbitration-adjacent court proceedings. She has successfully applied for and secured interim measures of protection from Philippine courts to preserve the rights of parties prior to the commencement of arbitration. She has acted in recognition and enforcement matters and assisted in the setting aside of arbitral awards in foreign jurisdictions. Ely also handles civil, commercial, criminal, tax, and administrative litigation, having represented clients in Philippine courts, including the Supreme Court. She has also represented clients in proceedings before various key and specialized administrative agencies under the Philippine Executive Department, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Philippine Competition Commission.

Ely works on corporate matters, including securities and capital markets, having assisted issuers and underwriters in securities offerings, both in general and under more specialized regulations specific to certain industries. She also renders advice in navigating complex regulatory spaces to identify, assess, and avoid relevant risks. She drafts and prepares contracts and other transaction documents in assisting clients to accomplish commercial objectives while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Ely was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2018. She graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 2017 from the University of the Philippines College of Law and was a recipient of a Dean’s Medal for Academic Excellence. She was a Chairperson of the Philippine Law Journal.  In the Jessup competition, she was also a recipient of both a Hardy C. Dillard award and a Richard A. Baxter award for excellence in memorial writing internationally, and, nationally, was a twice-ranked oralist, including Best Oralist of the final rounds.

Peterson U. Poon is a senior associate whose practice focuses on banking and finance, litigation and arbitration, and general corporate law.

Peter has advised clients on a wide range of issues including corporate reorganization, debt and equity financing, doing business in the Philippines, data privacy, and compliance with anti-money laundering laws. He represents clients, both domestic and foreign, from the banking, insurance, gaming, and real estate industries, among others. He assists clients on licensing and regulatory matters with government regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Peter also has experience representing clients before various judicial and quasi-judicial agencies in civil and criminal cases.

Peter received his bachelor’s degree in Management Honors, magna cum laude, from the Ateneo de Manila University in 2012. He obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Philippines in 2017. In law school, he competed in the Jessup International Moot Court Competition, where he was a National Champion, Best Oralist of the preliminary and final rounds, and recipient of the Dillard and Baxter Awards for excellence in memorial writing. He was admitted to the bar in 2018 and joined the firm in the same year.

Careen Alexandria J. Henares is a senior associate whose practice currently focuses on corporate law, project development and finance, and corporate banking.

Cara advises both domestic and foreign clients on various issues such as data privacy and security, consumer protection, mergers and acquisitions, antitrust and competition, corporate reorganizations, and general corporate matters. Her work includes due diligence exercises, review of transaction documents, and coordination with various regulatory agencies. She represents clients before governmental agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Trade and Industry, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and Philippine Competition Commission.

Cara received her bachelor’s degree, major in Political Science with a minor in English Literature from Ateneo de Manila University in 2012. She thereafter received her juris doctor degree from the same university in 2016 where she graduated with second honors. She was admitted to the Philippine bar in 2017 and joined the firm in the same year.

Jesse Tantoco is a senior associate who is a member of the Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Group. He specializes on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and regulatory compliance particularly involving companies engaged in the telecommunications, FinTech, cloud computing, e-commerce, and mass media businesses.

Jesse has consistently engaged with various regulatory agencies (including the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) in relation to registration, licensing, and compliance matters. In particular, Jesse has advised and guided companies engaged in FinTech (e.g., payment system operators / platforms, digital banks, etc.), cloud computing, e-commerce, and mobile gaming, among others, with respect to doing business and regulatory compliance in the Philippines.

Jesse has assisted, represented, and advised domestic, multinational, and foreign clients before administrative agencies and quasi-judicial bodies such as the National Telecommunications Commission, National Privacy Commission, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, National Labor Relations Commissions, Securities Exchange Commission, Department of Trade and Industry, and Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.

Jesse obtained his bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from the Ateneo de Manila University, graduating as a program awardee and cum laude. He received his juris doctor degree from the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law. Jesse was admitted to the Philippine bar in 2017.