Ortega Lawyers & Associated is one of the older law firms of Ecuador, its trajectory starts at the beginning of the century, in 1915, under the initiative of Dr. Secundino Ortega Dávila. (1877 – 1953).

Since then, the profile of our founder has been a legacy for the generations of professionals that have been part of the law firm Ortega Lawyers & Associated S.A., a profile that is reflected in the concepts used by Dr. Merino Pérez in the prologue to his book called Forensic Practice when he says that the lawyer is a man of   vocation; this is, with virtues and behaviors as inclination, self–esteem, loyalty and sacrifice, that has fundamental principles as good reputation, decency, honesty, delicacy, correction and willing to defend the country in universal disputes. Following the steps of his father, Leonidas Ortega Moreira became part of the law firm; he was a well-known educator and public man. He graduated as Doctor of Law in 1936 and he practiced law during more than 50 years, until his premature decease in 1987.

While engaged in professional activity of Dr. Leonidas Ortega Moreira, the law firm was a witness to his actions as a man that served the citizens when he was asked; he served as President of the Municipal Council of Guayaquil in 1946. He was the President of the Provincial Tribunal of the Referendum that was to choose one of the two projects of Constitution that would rule the Republic from its return to democratic regime in year 1978; as a professional he founded and was the first President of the Lawyer’s Association of Guayaquil, and as an educator, as a Minister of Education and Sports in the Government of Dr. Ponce Enríquez in 1959, and as one of the founders of the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil. In 1963 he was appointed as “First Rector Magnificus ” by the Holy see. And he founded the Law School.