Newlink Dominicana and law firm Islaw Abogados have formed a strategic corporate alliance in Santo Domingo to provide integrated public affairs and legal risk services.
The agreement brings together expertise in public affairs, reputation management, and corporate law to create multidisciplinary strategies for businesses facing complex regulatory environments. The firms designed the initiative to help organizations anticipate risks, make informed strategic decisions, and effectively navigate legal and reputational challenges impacting their operations.
Eduardo Valcárcel Bodega, managing partner of Newlink Dominicana, said that Newlink views collaboration as an essential path toward generating higher value solutions for clients and the wider business market. He explained that by combining public affairs, crisis management, and reputation building with Islaw Abogados's corporate legal expertise, the joint effort will guide organizations through risk anticipation with greater confidence.
Criminal and Reputational Risk Management Program
As the first official project under the collaboration, both firms launched the Criminal and Reputational Risk Management Program. The initiative comes in response to significant legal changes taking effect in the Dominican Republic following the enforcement of the country's new Penal Code on August 3, 2026.
Under the updated criminal code, corporate entities and legal persons can now be held criminally liable for illegal acts committed for their benefit. The reform substantially raises the standards for corporate governance, oversight, and internal compliance across the national business sector.
The joint program incorporates legal diagnostics, compliance model design, crisis management protocols, spokesperson media training, and ongoing strategic advisory. It aims to equip organizations with concrete tools to meet the heightened responsibilities established by the new corporate criminal liability framework.
William Matías Ramírez, managing partner of Islaw Abogados for the Dominican Republic, explained that the new legal framework marks a profound shift in organizational risk management. He stated that businesses will no longer only need to show that they responded appropriately during a crisis, but must now demonstrate that they took all possible measures to prevent it from occurring.
Ramírez emphasized that the new corporate criminal responsibility regime demands far more than maintaining written compliance policies. He added that companies must establish and verify effective prevention, supervision, and control mechanisms, turning advance preparation into a core requirement for corporate protection.
Strategic Corporate Goals and Firm Background
The alliance between Newlink Dominicana and Islaw Abogados aims to establish a more preventive and strategic management model for companies operating in the country. The initiative represents the start of a shared agenda designed to strengthen business resilience and long-term sustainability amid growing market complexity.
Newlink Dominicana has operated in the Dominican Republic for more than 20 years, contributing to institutional, corporate, and social transformation across the nation. Known under the brand identity The Engagement Company, the consultancy uses its proprietary orbital thinking framework to align corporate purpose, manage public reputation, and foster stakeholder engagement.
Islaw Abogados is a multidisciplinary law firm providing comprehensive legal coverage across corporate business, commercial structuring, and international litigation. The firm combines Dominican legal experience with international expertise to advise corporate clients and institutions navigating multi-jurisdictional legal requirements.
