09 January 2019, PASIG CITY. The Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Martinez Vergara Gonzalez & Serrano (MVGS). Through the MOU, MVGS will extend corporate legal services to CODE-NGO and its members on a pro-bono basis.

MVGS recently adopted a formal policy on providing pro bono services as part of its professional responsibility to extend legal services and representation to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who do not have ready access to corporate legal services. Having dealt with a few NGOs, MVGS realized that there are few law firms and legal practitioners that make their services available in the fields of taxation, labor, immigration, intellectual property, corporate governance, including legal advisory on transactions with funders and other stakeholders involved in the work of NGOs.

“We are happy to finally be able to access pro bono legal advice on matters concerning NGO governance, regulation and taxation from MVGS and seek help with legal research to support our policy advocacies,” says CODE-NGO Executive Director Roselle S. Rasay.

MVGS partnered with CODE-NGO because it sees the organization as uniquely positioned to help the Firm reach out to more NGOs. “We see this partnership as an excellent platform to provide legal guidance to NGOs and the causes they promote. Working with CODE-NGO will contribute to the professional growth of the Firm’s lawyers, by providing them insights on social, political and environmental issues, as well as developing in them the value of giving back to the community,” says MVGS Managing Partner, Atty. Elmer B. Serrano.

Atty. Serrano and Partner, Atty. Rosalia Bartolome-Alejo, signed the MOU on behalf of MVGS while Ms. Rasay and Finance and Administrative Manager Gigi Arroyo signed it on behalf of CODE-NGO.