Leadership & Counsel

Direct partner engagement on every mandate.

Our founding and junior partners bring decades of combined leadership across Philippine corporate law, labor strategy, taxation, human resource governance, data privacy, and litigation.

Founding Leadership

Founding & Managing Partners.

Co-founded by Atty. Apollo X.C. S. Sangalang and Atty. Marvyn A. Gaerlan to provide practical, high-integrity counsel to Philippine and international businesses.

Founder • Chief Legal Conflict Strategist

Apollo X.C. S. Sangalang

“Attorney PoL” • Philippine Bar (1995), UP Law

Atty. Apollo X.C. S. Sangalang (“Attorney PoL”) is the Founder of Sangalang & Gaerlan, Business Lawyers (Paladins of Law). With more than 30 years of professional experience spanning private legal practice, senior government administration, legislative drafting, and legal academia, he counsels boards of directors, business owners, and human resource leaders on complex corporate and workplace challenges.

In public service, Atty. Sangalang served as Executive Director of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), as Chief Legislative Officer at the Senate of the Philippines, and as University Legal Counsel of the University of the Philippines System.

Key Appointments & Credentials

Founder & Chief Legal Conflict Strategist, Sangalang & Gaerlan Business Lawyers (2016–Present)
Former Executive Director, National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC – DOLE)
Former Chief Legislative Officer, Senate of the Philippines
Former University Legal Counsel, University of the Philippines System
Supreme Court MCLE Lecturer, Law Professor & Corporate Governance Chair (PCCI-QC)

Co-Founder • Managing Partner

Marvyn A. Gaerlan, CTRP

Corporate, Labor, Privacy & Compliance

Atty. Marvyn A. Gaerlan is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Sangalang & Gaerlan, Business Lawyers. Trained in engineering prior to entering the legal profession, he brings a structured, systems-oriented approach to commercial transactions, corporate compliance, and employer-employee relations.

Uniquely qualified across multiple regulatory domains, Atty. Gaerlan is a Certified Total Rewards Professional (CTRP) recognized by the ASEAN Total Rewards Institute, a Data Privacy Compliance Adviser (Philippine DPA and GDPR), a DOLE-Accredited Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) Practitioner, and an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Compliance Officer.

Accreditations & Practice Pillars

Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Sangalang & Gaerlan Business Lawyers
Certified Total Rewards Professional (CTRP – ASEAN Total Rewards Institute)
Data Privacy Compliance Adviser & GDPR Practitioner
DOLE-Accredited Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) Standards Practitioner / Safety Officer 3
Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Compliance & Commercial Transactions Specialist

Partners & Practice Leaders

Dedicated Partners & Legal Specialists.

Our partners combine deep courtroom and regulatory experience with specialized credentials in public accounting (CPA), human resources management (CPHR / CTRP), academic leadership, and corporate governance.

Managing Partner • Junior Partner

Nathalie L. Pattugalan, CPA

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and lawyer admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2017. Prior to entering legal practice, she spent over 15 years as an Accounting Manager overseeing corporate taxation, financial reporting, and regulatory compliance.

Corporate, Tax, Labor & HR Compliance Advisory
Domestic & Foreign Business Registrations (SEC / BIR)
Contract Drafting & Employee Manual Architecture

Supervising Partner (HR) • Junior Partner

Earl Louie M. Masacayan, LL.M., DBA

Graduate of the UST Faculty of Civil Law where he also earned his Master of Laws (LL.M.), alongside a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), CPHR, and CHRP credentials. He serves as Associate Dean of the Philippine Law School and Bar Reviewer in Labor and Taxation Law.

Author, Masacayan Business Law Trilogy (Labor, Tax & Commercial Law)
Associate Dean, Philippine Law School & MCLE Lecturer
Human Resources Governance, Labor & Tax Advisory

Junior Partner • Corporate & Labor

Nadine D. Racelis, CTRP

Earned her Juris Doctor from the University of the Philippines College of Law (Scholar) and her BS in Economics (cum laude) from UP Diliman. She is a Certified Total Rewards Professional (CTRP) certified by the ASEAN Total Rewards Institute.

Corporate Formation, Commercial Contracts & Policy Review
Workplace Investigations, Employee Discipline & Labor Litigation
Real Estate Transactions & AMLC Compliance Training

Junior Partner • Corporate & Litigation

Gerard Nelson C. Manalo

A graduate of the Far Eastern University Institute of Law who began as a paralegal researcher under Atty. Sangalang in 2014 before becoming Junior Partner in 2019. He also serves as a Law Professor at Quezon City University and in senior provincial legal administration.

Corporate Registration & Foreign/Local Business Consultancy
Labor & Employment Law, Civil & Criminal Litigation
Real Estate, Property Conveyancing & Tax/HR Advisory

Junior Partner • Commercial & Litigation

Gerald Dick B. Baro

Joined the firm as a working student and paralegal associate under Atty. Sangalang in 2014 prior to his admission to the Bar and promotion to Junior Partner. He serves as a Law Professor at Far Eastern University and brings extensive executive public service experience.

Corporate, Commercial & Transactional Representation
Labor Dispute Resolution & NLRC/DOLE Proceedings
Civil, Criminal & Administrative Litigation

Junior Partner • Partner-in-Charge for Litigation

Christian Andrew L. Gallardo

Earned his Juris Doctor from the Ateneo Law School (Batch 2020) and his BS in Management (Major in Legal Management, Minor in International Business, Honorable Mention) from Ateneo de Manila University. Having started as a working student and paralegal at the firm, he now leads the litigation practice.

Partner-in-Charge for Litigation & Dispute Resolution
High-Exposure Labor & Employment Defense
Commercial, Civil & Appellate Advocacy