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Before You Call
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions people ask us most before they decide to instruct a firm.
What areas of law does terra handle?
Eight practice areas: Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Corporate & Commercial, Licensing & Permits, Oil, Gas & Mining, Maritime & Offshore, Environmental, Forestry & Land, Carbon, Climate & Sustainability, and Intellectual Property & Software Compliance. Most matters touch more than one of them, which is why we describe them together rather than as separate departments.
How do I start working with terra?
Send a short description of the matter through the contact form, by email to info@terralaw.id, or by phone. Three things help most in that first message: what happened, what outcome you are looking for, and whether a deadline is already running.
What should I prepare before the first conversation?
Whatever documents already exist — contracts, permits, correspondence, official letters, summons. They do not need to be organised. What matters more is the chronology: what happened, in what order, and who was involved.
What happens in a first consultation?
We ask questions before we give answers. By the end of it you should understand what your position looks like legally, what the realistic options are, and what each one costs in time and exposure. If terra is not the right firm for the matter, we will say so.
Do I need a lawyer before there is a dispute?
Often yes, and that is when legal advice is cheapest. Permits, contracts, and compliance records are far easier to correct while they are still being drafted than after they have become evidence in someone else’s case.
What is the difference between mediation, arbitration, and litigation?
Mediation is an assisted negotiation: the parties keep control and nothing is decided for them. Arbitration is a private process that ends in a binding award, usually faster and confidential. Litigation is the state court system — public, appealable, and slower. Which one fits depends on what the contract says, whether the relationship is worth preserving, and what the client actually wants at the end.
Can terra advise on carbon projects and environmental permits?
Yes. Carbon, climate and sustainability, and environmental, forestry and land, are core practice areas, not sidelines. That covers carbon project structuring, offset and offtake agreements, concession and environmental permits, and compliance under Indonesia’s carbon economic value framework.
Is what I tell you confidential?
Yes. Advocates in Indonesia are bound by professional secrecy over what clients disclose in the course of seeking legal assistance. That obligation applies from the first conversation, whether or not you go on to instruct the firm.
Do you offer retainer arrangements for ongoing legal support?
Yes, and for companies with continuous operations it is usually the cheaper arrangement. A retainer covers routine contract review, periodic compliance checks, and on-call advice, so that questions get asked early rather than after a document has been signed. Engaging a firm matter by matter works for one-off disputes; it works badly for a business that signs contracts every month. Tell us what your operation looks like and we will propose a scope.
Still have a question?
Ask it directly. A short description is enough to start.