How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience? 

During periods of instability or crisis, Business Continuity Plan (BCP) protocols must come into operation to ensure the company’s resilience to these unexpected situations. The management of legal aspects during these periods, in addition to contemplating a strategy that is aligned with the BCP, must be quick, efficient and consider flexibility in the application of legal concepts, especially in signed and executed contracts. 

On the subject of contracts, it is important that these are as robust and efficient as possible, creating value for both the company and the counterparty. However, in periods of instability or crisis, the added value of the general counsel lies in being able to maintain strong negotiation skills so that decisions regarding commitments in execution or to be executed impact the business as little as possible. 

In these uncertain scenarios, it is not only about identifying and mitigating legal risks but also about providing comprehensive support that protects continuity and ensures the resilience of the business. Constant and fluid communication with all shareholders and stakeholders is vital to achieve this purpose. 

What are the main cases or transactions you have been involved in recently?  

We have counselled on the reinforcement of the company’s corporate governance structure contributing and promoting more efficiency and development. The team counselled one of the companies comprised within Grupo Vimenca on updating its legal structure to implement a new service aimed at expanding its core business and generating more clients and revenue. In addition, the team assisted on assuring the legal and regulatory compliance of new products and services by partnering with both colleagues and suppliers. 

What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments?  

The emerging technologies that I envision as having the greatest significant impact on the legal profession soon are without a doubt those of Artificial Intelligence and, among these, those of the generative type. The emergence of AI has had a strong impact and revolutionised the legal profession in such a way that it is necessary not only to stay updated but to understand, use and benefit from these tools. 

Today’s lawyer needs to have his horizons open to new technological developments that are disruptively impacting the legal industry. Lawyers in general and the general counsel in particular, need to understand not only the risks linked to the use of AI but the best way to exploit its full potential to continue providing quality legal advice, aligned with the interests of the business and, above all, modern, practical and efficient. 

The way we keep up to date with these developments is through social media and participation in discussion forums about technological developments in the legal industry. Another important aspect is to contact opinion makers and Legaltech enthusiasts to stay updated on the latest developments in this matter. 

In your opinion, what are the main trends that are salient in your country currently?  

The main trends that are salient in the Dominican Republic could be divided into two large blocks: those of the public sphere and those of the private sphere where in both cases legal, political, economic and business factors are combined.  

In the public sphere, the most marked trends revolve around the development of public-private partnerships projects, especially in the port, infrastructure and utility services sectors. Likewise, the strengthening of public policies to support small businesses has been an important and growing trend during the last year. On the other hand, the development and expansion of the tourism sector in the Dominican Republic has contributed to significant growth and an accelerated recovery of our economy.  

In the private sphere, trends center in the development of new products and services in the financial industry strengthened by new technologies and the digital environment. The digitalization of traditional financial services and payment systems has been fundamental in the development and growth of new businesses, especially small businesses.  

Likewise, support to the government in the tourism sector through financing foreign companies for new projects has been a positive trend for the country. A special mention deserves the private sector companies that have opted to enter the Dominican securities market and have contributed to moving from a market that in its beginnings only issued debt bonds to the issuance and placement of shares. This has been a fundamental milestone for the consolidation of the private sector in the promotion and generation of wealth in the Dominican Republic as it will likely continue to be a trend soon.