DTI 11 PILOTS BIZ LEGAL SHIELD PROGRAM

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 11 and LexMeet Inc., a legal tech company, have vowed to work together in protecting the region’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) legal-wise.

The public-private sector partnership was made official through a Memorandum of Agreement on Business Legal Shield Program for MSMEs signed last week at the DTI 11 office here.

The Business Legal Shield Program aims to digitalize MSMEs’ access to justice using emerging technologies. DTI 11 is the first government agency to pilot this program.

DTI 11 Acting Regional Director Romeo L. Castañaga shared that this partnership with a private firm opens opportunities for local MSMEs as they acquire legal services online.

“This collaborative program between DTI 11 and LexMeet, Inc. offers a solution to the legal-related problems of our MSMEs. This can help those who do not have access to lawyers or are reluctant to hire one due to costs. With this program, getting legal advice becomes convenient for our MSMEs. Moreso, they do not need to pay since free LexMeet credits will be given to them,” Castañaga said.

Castañaga and LexMeet, Inc.’s chief executive officer lawyer Marlon P. Valderrama led the MOA-signing.

LexMeet Inc. offers ease of access to and delivery of legal services. It provides many tech products that connect lawyers and clients to solve legal problems. The company is a start-up grantee of the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) for their project called Prototyping and Pilot Testing of LexDocs Chatbot Legal Assistant for MSMEs and start-ups – A Legal Community Crowd-Sourced Online Legal Document Assembly powered by Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for MSMEs and Start-Ups, also known as “Business Legal Shield Program.”

During the event, LexMeet showcased the Business Legal Shield program’s functions and objectives. It has two aspects: 1) research and study for MSMEs about their need for online legal services to assist them in their operations, and 2) pilot-testing of LexMeet products with MSMEs to help them in their legal service needs.

As DTI 11 intends to upscale and upskill MSMEs in the region, the office is hopeful that a lot of legal questions of MSMEs can be answered and that this will help them improve their business operations with confidence and peace of mind knowing that legal expert has their back. /

This collaborative program between DTI 11 and LexMeet, Inc. offers a solution to the legal-related problems of our MSMEs. This can help those who do not have access to lawyers or are reluctant to hire one due to costs. With this program, getting legal advice becomes convenient for our MSMEs.

ROMEO L. CASTAÑAGA

DTI-Davao Acting Regional Director