Ben Dominic R. Yap > Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) > Manila, Philippines > Lawyer Profile
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) Offices

30/F 88 CORPORATE CENTER
SEDENO CORNER VALERO STREETS
SALCEDO VILLAGE, MAKATI CITY 1227
Philippines
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Ben Dominic R. Yap

Position
Managing Partner
Career
Ben Dominic Yap is a founding partner and the Managing Partner of C&G Law. He co-heads the firm’s Disputes Practice Group and its Energy, Construction & Infrastructure Sectors Group.
Ben specialises in litigation and arbitration. He has been consistently regarded as a leading Philippine lawyer in these fields by respected international publications such as Asialaw, Benchmark Litigation, Chambers Asia-Pacific, and The Legal 500. He is also one of only a handful of Philippine lawyers who is part of the list/panel of accredited arbitrators of both the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) and the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), which are two of the world’s most preferred arbitral institutions.
Ben also has significant experience in corporate and commercial transaction work involving construction, energy, and infrastructure matters. Chambers Asia-Pacific has regarded him as a leading Philippine lawyer in corporate and commercial matters for several years.
Ben’s expertise in litigation and arbitration as well as corporate and commercial matters has made him a go-to lawyer of the Philippines’ leading conglomerates in the disputes and transactions aspects of their construction, energy, and infrastructure projects.
His expertise in these fields also led Asia Business Law Journal to recognise him as one of the Philippines’ Top 100 Lawyers from 2018 to 2023. More recently, he was one of ten recipients of Asian Legal Business’ Philippines Client Choice Lawyers award for 2022.
Ben’s impressed clients have described him as “very bright”, a “standout”, and as “a talented strategist and tenacious advocate.” Other clients have also described him as “extremely switched on and a very strong technical lawyer”.
Ben has also been praised for “tak[ing] a detailed approach to solving the legal challenges presented” and for being “able to hone into the main issues quickly, read between the lines and come up with clear plans of defence and attack as necessary”.
Prior to founding C&G Law in February 2007, Ben was an associate (from 1998 to 2003) and a senior associate (from 2003 until 2007) at SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan.
Languages
English, Filipino
Memberships
- Member, Integrated Bar of the Philippines (1998–present)
- Member, Philippine Dispute Resolution Center, Inc. (2015–present)
- Member, Philippine Institute of Arbitrators or PIArb (2017–present)
- List of Arbitrators, Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) (2019–present)
- List of Arbitrators, Philippine International Center for Conflict Resolution (2019–present)
- Panel of Arbitrators, Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) (2019–present)
Education
- Ateneo de Manila University School of Law, Juris Doctor (Class of 1997, class salutatorian, recipient of Evelio Javier Leadership Award)
- Ateneo de Manila University, Bachelor of Science in Management, Major in Legal Management (Class of 1993)
- Admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1998
Lawyer Rankings
Philippines > Real estate and construction
The practice at Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) has a strong reputation for its capabilities handling high-value and frequently cross-jurisdictional construction and infrastructure work. It is well-equipped to assist its clients in the construction of such significant projects as telecoms towers, rail systems and airports. The team handles the full life cycle of construction projects, from the drafting of contracts, through to completion and ongoing operation. The group is jointly led by corporate and commercial transaction specialist Jaime Renato B. Gatmaytan and Ben Dominic R. Yap, who harnesses expertise in related disputes and transactions. Norma Margarita Patacsil and Andrea Katipunan are key names in the team. Annalisa Carlota departed in May 2024.
Philippines > Dispute resolution
(Leading partners)Ben Dominic R. Yap – Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law)
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law)’s group is well placed to represent its portfolio of clients, which features well-known domestic and international names, in the plethora of complex disputes across the array of industry sectors. Examples of the team’s caseload includes its defending a banking client in a failure to meet contractual obligations, and handling a high-stakes infrastructure dispute, the outcome of which has the potential to change the Philippines’ rail system. Ben Dominic R. Yap and Jesus Paolo U. Protacio co-head the practice; Yap has particular expertise handling energy, construction and infrastructure-related disputes, while Protacio’s broad range of specialisms includes handling product liability, malpractice and environmental disputes. Vladi Miguel Lazaro is experienced handling civil and commercial litigation at various court levels.
Philippines > Projects and energy
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law)‘s group advises its portfolio of clients on the remit of high-value energy, infrastructure and construction projects. The team has a broad expertise, its workload includes assisting with the financing and equity restructuring of large-scale projects involving solar power plants, wind farms, and renewable energy plants. In addition to its financing and transactional experience, the team is able to represent its clients before the Philippines ERC with regards to regulatory issues and formalities. Commercial transaction specialists Ben Dominic R. Yap and Jaime Renato Gatmaytan helm the practice. Annalisa Carlota departed in May 2024.
Philippines > Transport
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law)‘s team is led by Ben Dominic R. Yap, who harnesses particular expertise in contentious transport matters. Aviation and shipping are key areas that the team’s workload covers, with a strong focus on tax, administration and leasing-related matters. Yap is considered a ‘true professional with authenticity and sincerity’ by clients alongside Norma Margarita B. Patacsil.
Asia Pacific: Regional International Arbitration > Leading firms
2023 Singapore silk appointment Kelvin Poon SC heads the arbitration practice of Rajah & Tann Asia, a firm which has built presences across ASEAN jurisdictions and into China, including handling investor-state disputes and cases involving India. In addition to Poon SC, key names in Singapore include Avinash Pradhan, Francis Xavier SC, Ng Kim Beng and shipping specialist Kendall Tan. The firm’s regional coverage, via the firm’s offices and partner firms, also include Eri Hertiawan
in Jakarta, Savada Prom in Phnom Penh, Ben Dominic R. Yap in Manila, and Chau Huy Quang and Logan Leung in the firm’s Vietnam offices. Recent recruits include Hew Kian Heong in Shanghai, as well as Shilin Huang and Vanina Sucharitkul in Singapore – the latter two bringing with them specialist expertise relating to Taiwan and Thailand respectively.
Lawyer Rankings
- Dispute resolution Philippines
- Leading partners Philippines > Dispute resolution
- Projects and energy Philippines
- Real estate and construction Philippines
- Transport Philippines
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Antitrust and competition
- Dispute resolution
- Labour and employment (including immigration)
- Projects and energy
- Real estate and construction
- Tax