HISTORY

Castillo y Castillo was established in 1933 by Mr. Manuel Joaquin Castillo, a highly respected member of the community, to provide outstanding legal services to businesses in the Dominican Republic. The firm was based on legal excellence and the highest levels of client service. The founders understood that an attorney had to know the client’s business and understand its objectives in order to provide considered advice and effective guidance. They took the standards and values of a family law practice and applied them to the commercial world.

Our approach quickly established us as one of the most respected firms in the Dominican Republic. As the country began to develop, businesses showed a marked inclination towards working with Castillo y Castillo. They had confidence in us regarding the handling of all of their affairs, recognizing the quality of our work and high levels of service.

Castillo y Castillo has played an active role in the evolution of the Dominican Republic regulatory and financial landscape. We advised on the Intellectual Property Law and its regulatory requirements. Castillo y Castillo partners have sat on the boards of directors of two of the national banks for over a decade. In the 1980s, with the boom in tourism, we became the firm of choice for international businesses expanding their operations into the region.

We are well known for our IP expertise, a core practice area for the firm since the 1930s. In 1989, Dr. Tania Castillo formalized the IP Department in recognition of ever-increasing client demand for first-rate IP support in the Dominican Republic;in addition the firm founded the Dominican Association of IP (ADOPI).

As part of the firm’s commitment to supporting clients in all aspects of managing their IP portfolios, in 1996 we established an affiliate firm, Asesores del Caribe, to provide  reliable, prompt advice on patent and trademark applications across the Caribbean.

In 1994, the Santiago office was opened as a result of demand from corporate clients located in the north of the country. In 2005, we opened our Bávaro-Punta Cana office in order to enable us to better service our clients in the hotel industry, which is based primarily in the east of the country.

We are also deeply committed to the Dominican Republic community. We believe that opportunities should be made available to everyone, not just the privileged, so we support well-being programs, mortgage fairs that encourage home ownership and community groups that promote the arts.

In recognition of Dr. Castillo’s contribution to the Dominican Republic, he has been honored by the President with the Duarte, Sánchez and Mella Order of Merit, Gran Cruz. This is the highest distinction that can be awarded by the Government of the Dominican Republic.

The values of the firm’s founders still hold true today. From the outset, we have worked alongside our clients as trusted advisors, available whenever they need us, providing the highest levels of legal excellence, achieving their goals and celebrating their successes. Today, we are proud of our long-standing tradition of exemplary service and the relationships we have built with our clients over more than 80 years. We look forward to meeting new clients and working with them for the lifetime of their businesses.