[1] He attended the Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Rosario in Kalibo (Class of 1901), the Liceo de Manila High School (Class of 1905) and received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Santo Tomas,[4] where he graduated cum laude in 1911 at the age of 22 and placed first in the bar examinations the same year,[3] with the rating of 99.69% average.

After serving his term as Governor of Capiz in 1919, he returned to his practice and joined the law firm of Montinola and Hontiveros, which had Ruperto Montinola- "the colossus of the South" as the senior partner; until 1924.

After serving his term as Senator of the Philippines in 1928, he formed his own law firm, into which he took two outstanding practitioners, Abeto and Tirol, as partners.

[6] After proving himself successful in the courts, the then 27-year-old Hontiveros was urged by the people of his province to run for Governor of Capiz, a position he served in from 1916 to 1919.

After serving as Governor, he went back to the practice of law which extended to the provinces surrounding Capiz where he gained popularity and renown.

As Vice Chairman of the committee on Judicial Power, he was instrumental in the coordination of the work of the constituent body and in the adoption of measures calculated to bring about a more efficient and independent judiciary.

Eduardo Hontiveros, their sixth child, became a Jesuit priest and was known as the Father of Filipino Liturgical Music, and an Awardee of the Presidential Medal of Merit.

Hontiveros' notable sons-in-law include National Artist for Theater and Film Lamberto Avellana and Harvard-educated lawyer and economist Alejandro Lichauco, who was an elected delegate of the 1st District of Rizal to the Constitutional Convention of 1971[2] (which was called to change the 1935 Philippine Constitution, which Hontiveros took part in framing).