Short answer. Yes. The Civil Code expressly recognizes partnerships formed for the exercise of a profession. Two lawyers, two doctors, or two members of any recognized profession may form a partnership to practice together — this is a distinct and valid form of partnership separate from commercial or business partnerships.
What the law says
Two or more persons may also form a partnership for the exercise of a profession.
Civil Code, Article 1767 — Contract of Partnership Defined. Read the full provision →
The Civil Code allows professional partnerships
Article 1767 of the Civil Code defines a partnership and, in its second sentence, expressly extends the concept to professions: Two or more persons may also form a partnership for the exercise of a profession. This places professional partnerships — law firms, medical groups, accounting partnerships, and others — squarely within the framework of the Civil Code. The law does not confine partnerships to commercial or profit-seeking ventures; it recognizes that professionals who pool their skills and resources to practice together are also partners in the legal sense.
How a professional partnership differs from a commercial one
In a commercial partnership, partners typically contribute money, property, or labor to a business that produces goods or services for sale. A professional partnership is formed around the partners' personal qualifications — their licenses, expertise, and professional standing. The contribution is primarily industry: the skill and effort each partner brings to the practice. Profits are earned through fees charged to clients for professional services. The professional character of the work also means that each practitioner remains personally responsible for the quality of their own services, regardless of the partnership structure.
Professional regulations still apply
Forming a partnership under the Civil Code does not exempt the partners from the rules governing their profession. Lawyers who form a partnership must comply with the Code of Professional Responsibility. Doctors must comply with the regulations of the Professional Regulation Commission and applicable medical practice laws. The partnership structure governs the internal relationship among the partners — how profits are divided, how decisions are made, what each partner owes to the others — but it does not displace the external professional obligations each member carries as an individual practitioner.
Practical considerations
Professional partnerships are typically governed by a written partnership agreement that addresses how cases or clients are assigned, how fees are collected and distributed, what happens when a partner retires or dies, and what restrictions apply when a partner leaves and wants to practice in the same area. The Civil Code provides the baseline rules for all partnerships, but a well-drafted agreement adapts those rules to the specific needs of the profession. Without a written agreement, the default Civil Code provisions on partnership rights, duties, and dissolution govern.
Cases citing this provision
These Supreme Court decisions cite the provision above. We list them so you can read them yourself; the summaries of what each decided are not ours to give.
- Aniceto G. Saludo, Jr. vs. Philippine National Bank, G.R. No. 193138, August 20, 2018 — read the decision on LawPhil →
- Antonia Torres, et al. vs. Court of Appeals, et al, G.R. No. 134559, December 9, 1999 — read the decision on LawPhil →
- Pedro D. Dusol and Maricel M. Dusol vs. Emmarck A. Laso, as owner of, G.R. No. 200555, January 20, 2021 — read the decision on LawPhil →
- Federico Jarantilla, Jr. vs. Antonieta Jarantilla, et al, G.R. No. 154486, December 1, 2010 — read the decision on LawPhil →