About the Firm
Bengzon & Untalan Intellectual Property Attorneys (formerly Bengzon Negre Untalan) is a boutique law firm founded in 2001, focused on the practice of intellectual property law, ranging from registration, prosecution, enforcement, litigation, and licensing matters. The firm has a versatile and distinguished team of lawyers from the country’s top law schools, who bring extensive expertise and experience across all facets of intellectual property, media, technology, and entertainment law.
Chambers and Partners has consistently ranked B&U as a “Tier 2” intellectual property law firm in the Philippines since 2010, alongside institutional law firms more than twice its size. The firm is likewise recognized by Asia Business Law Journal, World Trademark Review, Asia IP Law, Benchmark Litigation, Lexology and The Patent 1000 as a leading IP firm in the country.
The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has also recognized the firm’s contributions to the Philippine IP landscape, having been honored as one of the top Alternative Dispute Resolution Advocates and a significant contributor to the IP Academy’s roster of lecturers and speakers. This reflects its lawyers’ recognized expertise in the field. B&U has also achieved significant victories in high-profile and landmark IP cases, including successful representation before the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
B&U is a member of the International Trademark Association (INTA), Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA), Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines (IPAP), Licensing Executives Society of the Philippines (LES), and MARQUES.
Meet Our IP Lawyers
Anthony D. Bengzon
Partner
Anthony D. Bengzon obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines College of Law in 1993. He obtained a liberal arts degree in Management Economics from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1989. He is a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines (IPAP) and the Licensing Executives Society of the Philippine
In 1994, Mr. Bengzon joined Quisumbing Torres, an affiliated office of Baker & McKenzie. He was a senior associate in the firm’s intellectual property department, and concentrated on trademark registration, licensing, and enforcement work. His general expertise revolved mainly in enforcing his clients’ intellectual property rights before trial courts and administrative agencies. He was likewise involved in the firm’s general corporate and commercial practice.
His work reflected developments in the information technology and communications field, and he was involved in advising several of the firm’s clients in the telecommunications industry. His experience of 20 years in litigating IPR cases before various courts, prosecution offices, and administrative agencies has made him a valued speaker before numerous audiences and seminars on the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, copyright and software piracy, the implications of e-commerce on intellectual property, and special problems on the enforcement of IPR. He was involved in the drafting of the rules and regulations of the IP Code of the Philippines as well as the new Optical Media Act.
He is a professor of Intellectual Property Law in the Far Eastern University – De La Salle JD-MBA program.
Michael Z. Untalan
Partner
A partner at B&U, Michael Untalan has built a solid reputation as a dynamic, reliable, and client-focused IP attorney, owing to his extensive experience and expertise.
He advises a diverse client base, both local and international, consisting of leading multinational companies, business conglomerates, foreign law firms, and professional groups. Over the years, Mr. Untalan has received recognition from various institutions, including Asia Business Law Journal, Chambers & Partners, IP Stars, Legal 500, and Asia IP for his exemplary work and client service in the field of intellectual property.
Mr. Untalan is a member of international and local organizations, such as the International Trademark Association, Asian Patent Attorneys Association, Licensing Executives Society of the Philippines, and the Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines. He maintains strong ties with overseas IP practitioners, as well as the Philippine Intellectual Property Office and other stakeholders in the IP community. Mr. Untalan is also a professional director certified by the prestigious Institute of Corporate Directors.
He started his legal career at Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose Law Offices, where he worked with the firm’s litigation department and intellectual property group. He was also involved in the firm’s general corporate and commercial practice. Mr. Untalan obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from the University of the Philippines and his Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo School of Law.
Jonathan Q. Perez
Partner
Jonathan Q. Perez obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LLB.) from the Arellano Law School in 2000 and his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (Cum Laude) from the University of the Philippines (UP) in 1992. He was given a citation by the Political Science Department of the UP College of Social Sciences and Philosophy as one of the Most Outstanding Political Science Students of his batch. He was once a University Scholar and a consistent College Scholar during his undergraduate years at UP.
Mr. Perez was accepted to the Philippine bar in May 2001 and has since been a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in good standing.
Aside from law practice, Mr. Perez teaches intellectual property law at the New Era University College of Law. He likewise lectures on Patent Law in various seminar workshops conducted by the Philippine Judicial Academy (“PHILJA”) of the Supreme Court, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) and the American Bar Association-Rule of Law Initiative (ABA-ROLI) for members of the judiciary. He is also a lecturer on Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE).
Mr. Perez is a Registered Patent Agent, having passed the Patent Agent’s Qualifying Examination (“PAQE”) in 2010. He obtained a certificate on “Chemistry for Lawyers,” a course offered and co-sponsored by the Intellectual Property Research and Training Institute (IPRTI) of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPO) and the Ateneo de Manila University.
He is a Trustee of the Intellectual Property Professors and Researchers Organization of the Philippines, Inc. (IP-PRO).
He also has a good grasp of the ins and outs of the legislative system having had a six-year stint as political affairs officer at the House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines while taking up legal studies.
Samantha Wesley K. Rosales
Partner
Samantha Wesley K. Rosales obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from De La Salle University in 2006 and Juris Doctor from the University of the Philippines College of Law in 2011.
Ms. Rosales was accepted to the Philippine bar in March 2012 and has since been a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in good standing. She is currently the assistant corporate secretary of the Philippine Franchise Association, where she also serves as part of its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee.
She joined B&U as an associate in 2016 and was promoted to partner in 2023. Since joining B&U, she has been involved in all facets of IP practice, including litigation. Recently, her work on Kolin Electronics Co., Inc. vs. Kolin Philippines International, Inc., upon which the Supreme Court En Banc rendered a landmark decision on trademark law, has earned accolades from her colleagues and the firm’s clients.
Prior to joining B&U as a partner, she practiced immigration law, and general corporate and commercial practice where she provided legal assistance to clients in various business transactions.
Maria Karla Rosita V. Bernardo
Senior Associate
Karla Bernardo obtained her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in 2017 and her Creative Writing (B.A.) undergraduate degree in 2012, both from the University of the Philippines. She was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2018 and is a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.
In 2022, she finished her Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Intellectual Property from the University of New Hampshire School of Law where she graduated with distinction, receiving the Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property Graduate Student Award and the Presidential Merit Scholarship. During her LL.M. year, her paper on copyright and Philippine indigenous art was selected for presentation at the International Trademark Association (INTA) Academic Scholarship Symposium 2022.
Karla has also been published twice in the Philippine Law Journal, specifically in Volume 94, Special Feature on Law and Technology on September 2021, and in Volume 91, Issue No. 1, on February 2018, both papers discussing copyright and fair use.
She is part of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines’ (IPOPHL) roster of lecturers, and in 2023 and 2024, she was recognized by the IPOPHL IP Academy as one of its Best Lecturers. She teaches intellectual property law at Manuel L. Quezon University School of Law and serves as a guest lecturer in commercial law at the University of Southeastern Philippines School of Law. She is also a bar review lecturer for intellectual property law for the Jurists Bar Review Center.
She has extensive experience in IP prosecution, enforcement, licensing, and policy development. She handles administrative, civil, and criminal cases before the IPO and the Courts, and provides advice on various issues relating to copyright, trademark, patent, and other cases involving the music, art, entertainment, automotive, and food & beverage industries. She likewise provides guidance on technology transfer arrangements for commercial and educational institutions.
She is a member of Licensing Executives Society (LES) Philippines and the Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines (IPAP).
Irish May D. Quintana
Associate
Irish D. Quintana obtained her Juris Doctor (.J.D.) degree from the De La Salle University Tañada-Diokno College of Law in 2019 and her Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communications and Bachelor of Science in Legal Management also from De La Salle University in 2015. She was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2020 and is a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.
During law school, she received the outstanding thesis award on the topic covering intellectual property law. In 2017, she joined Meiji University for a short law course in Japan. She also interned in the Bureau of Legal Affairs of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.
She has extensive experience in IP prosecution and enforcement. She handles administrative, civil, and criminal cases before the IPO and the courts. Her work and experience includes giving advice on various copyright, trademark, patent and other intellectual property related concerns, including customs matters.
Victor John L. Dominguez
Associate
Victor John L. Dominguez earned his Juris Doctor from the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Law in 2018, and his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Social Sciences and Philosophy in 2014. He was admitted to the Philippine Bar in July 2020 and is a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.
Prior to working at the firm, Victor worked at a general practice firm in Ortigas, where he was exposed to various areas of legal practice (labor, corporate, criminal, and civil). At the same time, he also volunteered with VALOR-19, a collective of lawyers who responded to urgent legal matters involving government assistance, human rights, and free speech during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Subsequently, Victor decided to focus his legal practice on intellectual property law and transferred to B&U in 2021 as an associate lawyer, where he has since handled cases involving the various aspects of IP law (trademarks, patents and copyright), as well as the occasional non-IP related corporate or criminal case.
Aside from legal practice, Victor advocates for sustainable mobility and a holistic approach to healthy living. On the weekends, you are likely to find him on a bike, either on long rides around NCR or tackling trails outside of Metro Manila.
Julia Rio Therese M. Negre-de la Paz
Associate
Julia Negre – de la Paz holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Ateneo de Manila University School of Law, earned in 2021, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Physics from the University of the Philippines, completed in 2015. She was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2022 and is a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.
She has a strong academic and technical foundation, with training in both law and the sciences. In 2025, she completed the Patent Agents and Patent Attorneys Training Course (PAPATC) conducted by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), which is a requirement for accreditation as a Patent Attorney.
Julia is currently a part-time faculty member at the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law, where she teaches various subjects in intellectual property law, including Trademarks, IP Practice, and Special Commercial Laws.
She is also actively engaged in the intellectual property law community. She is a member of the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI), a founding member of its national association—the Fellowship of IP Counselors of the Philippines, Inc.—and a member of the Licensing Executives Society of the Philippines (LESP).
Danilo P. Villarey III
Associate
Danilo P. Villarey III earned his Juris Doctor (JD) from the University of the Philippines Diliman (BGC Campus) in 2024 and his Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering from Ateneo de Manila University in 2013. He was admitted to the Philippine Bar in January 2025 and is a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.
Before his promotion to Associate Lawyer at B&U, Danilo worked as the firm’s Patent Paralegal from 2016 to 2024. Prior to that, he was a patent researcher and analyst at a research company affiliated with Article One Partners, a U.S.-based prior art search and intellectual property research firm. He has worked on over 350 cases involving patentability, validity, freedom-to-operate, and infringement analyses.
In 2017, while serving as B&U’s Patent Paralegal, he completed a one-year intellectual property certificate program in Shanghai, China. This program was a joint initiative between Tongji University and the World Intellectual Property Organization.
During law school, he served as a Research Assistant for the University of the Philippines Competition Law and Policy Program from 2023 to 2024 and briefly as Editorial Assistant for the Philippine Law Journal. He also took part in the 1st Intellectual Property Boost Camp organized by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, where he was recognized as one of the event’s Best Campers.
