Biography
Julius Cervantes is a partner in Quisumbing Torres’ Corporate & Commercial/M&A Practice Group and heads the Corporate Services Focus Group. He is likewise a member of the Industrial, Manufacturing & Telecommunications and Consumer Goods & Retail Industry Groups. He has been engaged in corporate and commercial law practice for over 22 years.
Prior to assuming his current role as head of Quisumbing Torres’ Corporate Services Focus Group, Julius was the head of its Real Estate Focus Group. He likewise has considerable in-house counsel experience, having served as Asia-Pacific regional commercial counsel for one of the business lines of a US-headquartered multinational and diversified conglomerate, from 2010 to 2012.
Julius is recognized as a Leading Individual in Real Estate and Construction by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025, and holds a Spotlight Table ranking in Corporate/M&A: Real Estate by Chambers Asia Pacific 2025. He was also cited as Outstanding Lawyer for Client Service Excellence in Corporate and M&A by Asialaw in 2020.
Practice Focus
In his current role, Julius primarily handles corporate counseling, governance, and regulatory compliance. He regularly advises domestic and foreign businesses on a wide range of corporate matters, including market entry and structuring of foreign direct investments, formation of corporate vehicles, equity restrictions, commercial transactions, and corporate dissolution, as well as reorganizations and carve-outs, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures. He also has extensive experience in real estate sales and acquisitions, leasing, construction law, and government procurement.
Julius has worked with clients from a wide range of industries, including industrials, manufacturing, defense contractors, construction, automotive, transportation, information technology, and consumer goods, as well as non-profit entities, international bodies, and religious organizations.
Representative Legal Matters
- Advise a Japanese real estate developer on the procedure and requirements for undertaking a residential development project in the Philippines, including the formation of an incorporated joint venture to acquire the land, acquisition of the land, development and construction, and pertinent regulatory approvals.
- Advise and assist an American public company engaged in the sale and manufacture of construction products on legal matters in relation to the Philippine aspects of the restructuring of its business operations, and the sale of one of its business lines to a third party purchaser.
- Advise a subsidiary of a Thailand-based digital services and e-commerce company in connection with the proposed acquisition of full equity ownership in a Philippine e-payment company.
- Assist an industry-leading US-based company , which is engaged in the sale and marketing of therapeutic grade essential oils and other related products through a direct selling model, in connection with the establishment of its operations in the Philippines.
- Advise a Japanese manufacturer of commercial vehicles and diesel engines on its acquisition of a controlling interest in a company engaged in the assembly and sale of commercial vehicles in the Philippines.
- Advise a world-leading, publicly traded engineering and project management company on its Philippine-incorporated joint venture with a multinational metal fabrication company; advise on regulatory aspects (including structuring and nationality restrictions) of local EPC / EPCM projects.
- Conduct legal due diligence for a European transportation infrastructure company’s potential joint venture, for one of the Philippine government’s largest public-private partnership (PPP) railway projects; advise on the regulatory framework for operation of public utilities and PPP projects.
- Advise a European road infrastructure company on its proposed joint venture with a local privately-owned construction company, to carry out the construction of all civil works components and other ancillary works for the hydropower projects of a joint venture energy company. Assist and advise in drafting the Shareholder’s Agreement and other relevant allied agreements for the transaction.
- Assist an Indonesian bread products company on the formation of its Philippine-incorporated joint venture that will engage in the manufacture and distribution of bread and other food products.
- Advise and assist a leading manufacturer and distributor of skin care, hair care, cosmetics, fragrances, beauty supplements and other personal care products, and beauty services in the formation of its Philippine joint venture with a company engaged in the business of beauty and luxury lifestyle brand distribution, retail, and e-commerce in the Asia Pacific region.
Professional Honors
- Leading Individual in Real Estate and Construction, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2025
- Spotlight Table in Corporate/M&A: Real Estate, Chambers Asia Pacific, 2025
- Outstanding Lawyer for Client Service Excellence in Corporate and M&A, asialaw, 2020
Professional Associations and Memberships
Integrated Bar of the Philippines
International Bar Association
Admissions
Philippines (2003)
Education
University of the Philippines (LLB) (2002)
Ateneo de Manila University (BS Legal Management) (1996)
Languages
English
Filipino