Terms of Use and Legal Disclaimer

This website is operated by Semper Fidelis Pacific Law & Advisory (“the Firm”, “we”, “us” or “our”).

References to the Firm do not include independent experts, affiliated firms, external service providers or other third parties identified or linked through the website.

The information published on this website is provided for general information only. It does not constitute legal advice, professional advice or a legal opinion and should not be relied upon as a substitute for advice concerning your particular circumstances.

Legal outcomes depend on the relevant facts, applicable law and procedural requirements. Laws and official practices may change, and information on this website may not reflect the most recent legal or regulatory developments.

You should obtain specific professional advice before acting or refraining from acting on the basis of information contained on this website.

Accessing this website, reading its content, submitting an enquiry, requesting a consultation, commenting on a Journal article or communicating with the Firm through a public online channel does not create a lawyer-client relationship.

The Firm does not agree to act for any person unless:

1. any required conflicts and client-acceptance procedures have been completed;
2. the Firm has confirmed that it is able and willing to accept the engagement; and
3. the engagement has been confirmed in writing.

No lawyer-client relationship should be inferred from a response acknowledging receipt of an enquiry or arranging an initial consultation.

Please do not submit highly sensitive, privileged or confidential information through a public website form.

Information submitted before the Firm confirms that it can act may need to be reviewed for conflicts and administrative purposes. Although the Firm handles communications responsibly, confidentiality, legal professional privilege and acceptance of professional duties should not be assumed merely because information has been submitted through the website.

Where a matter is sensitive, contact the Firm first so that an appropriate communication method can be arranged.

The website and its enquiry or consultation functions must not be used for urgent legal matters or as the sole means of communicating a limitation period, filing deadline, court date or other time-sensitive requirement.

Submitting a message does not guarantee that it has been received, read or accepted within any particular period. The Firm is not responsible for a missed deadline unless it has expressly accepted responsibility for the relevant matter in writing.

If your matter is urgent, contact the Firm directly using the published contact details and obtain confirmation that your communication has been received.

A requested date or time is not confirmed until the Firm expressly confirms the appointment.

The Firm may decline, reschedule or cancel a consultation, including where there is a conflict of interest, insufficient information, professional restriction, lack of capacity or another appropriate reason.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, an initial consultation does not commit the Firm to accept continuing instructions.

The Firm provides services only where it is legally and professionally authorised to do so. Website content may refer to Tonga, other Pacific jurisdictions or international matters, but that does not represent that the Firm is authorised to practise the domestic law of every jurisdiction mentioned.

Where advice concerning another jurisdiction is required, the Firm may recommend or coordinate with appropriately qualified independent counsel or another professional.

Journal articles, publications, updates and commentary are provided for general educational and informational purposes. They do not constitute advice and may summarise complex legal or commercial issues.

Publication dates should be considered when assessing whether information remains current. The Firm is not obliged to update an article merely because the law, policy or circumstances have subsequently changed.

Views attributed to a guest author, interviewee or contributor are that person’s views and do not necessarily represent the position of the Firm.

Comments are subject to moderation. The Firm may approve, reject, edit, restrict or remove a comment at its discretion.

You must not submit content that:

• is unlawful, defamatory, threatening, abusive or misleading;
• infringes another person’s privacy, confidentiality or intellectual-property rights;
• contains privileged, confidential or sensitive information;
• impersonates another person;
• promotes spam, fraud or unauthorised commercial activity;
• contains malicious code or attempts to interfere with the website; or
• is otherwise inappropriate for publication by a professional legal practice.

You remain responsible for content you submit. By submitting a comment for publication, you grant the Firm a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display, format and reproduce that comment on the website and in reasonable records connected with the Journal.

Approval or publication of a comment does not constitute endorsement by the Firm.

Members of the Expert Network are independent professionals unless the website expressly states otherwise. Their inclusion does not make them employees, partners or agents of the Firm.

Expert profiles are provided for general information. Inclusion does not guarantee availability, suitability, appointment or any particular result.

Any professional engagement involving an expert will be subject to appropriate conflicts, scope, fee and appointment arrangements. The Firm is not responsible for independent services provided outside an engagement expressly administered or accepted by the Firm.

Law firms identified through the affiliated-firms map or regional-relationships section are independent practices.

Unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing:

• no partnership, joint venture, agency, employment or representative relationship exists between the Firm and an identified firm;
• an identified firm is not authorised to bind Semper Fidelis Pacific Law & Advisory;
• inclusion does not constitute a guarantee or endorsement of that firm’s advice, conduct, availability or performance; and
• each firm remains independently responsible for its own professional services, fees, conflicts, regulatory obligations and client relationships.

Following a link or contacting an identified firm does not create a lawyer-client relationship with Semper Fidelis Pacific Law & Advisory or with that firm.

The Government Resources section is provided as a public convenience. Contact details, office locations, websites, social-media pages and service information are derived from information believed to be publicly available.

The Firm is not part of, and does not represent, any government ministry, department, agency or public authority listed on the website. Inclusion does not imply official approval, endorsement or affiliation.

Government information may change without notice. Users should verify important information directly with the relevant authority before relying on it. The Firm does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness or continuing availability of third-party contact details or services.

The website may contain links to government websites, law firms, experts, Google Maps, Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp and other external services.

External websites are operated independently. The Firm does not control and is not responsible for their content, security, availability, privacy practices or services. A link does not necessarily constitute endorsement.

Your use of an external website or platform is governed by that provider’s terms and policies.

Unless otherwise stated, the website’s design, branding, text, publications, graphics, logos and other original content are owned by or licensed to the Firm and are protected by applicable intellectual-property law.

You may view, download or print reasonable extracts for personal, educational or internal business use, provided that:

• the content is not materially altered;
• the Firm is appropriately acknowledged;
• the content is not presented as legal advice given to another person; and
• the use is not commercial or misleading.

You must not reproduce, republish, sell, systematically extract or commercially exploit substantial website content without prior written permission.

Third-party names, logos, photographs and materials remain the property of their respective owners.

You must not:

• use the website for an unlawful, fraudulent or abusive purpose;
• attempt to gain unauthorised access to the website or its administrative systems;
• interfere with the website’s operation, security or availability;
• introduce malicious software or automated requests that place an unreasonable burden on the website;
• scrape, harvest or systematically collect website information without permission; or
• falsely represent an association with the Firm.

The Firm may restrict access or take other reasonable protective measures where misuse is suspected.

The Firm seeks to maintain accurate and useful information but does not warrant that the website will always be complete, current, error-free, secure or continuously available.

The Firm may modify, suspend or discontinue any feature or content without notice. Website access may be affected by maintenance, provider outages, internet disruption, cyber incidents or circumstances outside the Firm’s reasonable control.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Firm excludes liability for loss arising solely from:

• reliance on general website content without obtaining specific advice;
• delayed, failed or intercepted electronic communications;
• temporary website unavailability;
• inaccurate or outdated third-party information;
• external websites or services;
• unauthorised or improper use of the website; or
• acts or omissions of independent experts, affiliated firms or other third parties.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited, or alters any duty expressly accepted by the Firm under a written client engagement.

Personal information collected through the website is handled in accordance with the Firm’s Privacy Policy. The Privacy Policy forms part of these Terms of Use.

The Firm may amend these Terms when its website, services or applicable requirements change. The “Last updated” date identifies the current version.

Continued use of the website after an updated version is published constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms to the extent permitted by law.

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Kingdom of Tonga.

Subject to any applicable professional, statutory or consumer-protection requirements, disputes concerning the use of this website are subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of Tonga.

Questions about these Terms may be directed to Semper Fidelis Pacific Law & Advisory using the Firm’s email address and business address published on this website.