The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is the
Bar Association
A bar association is a professional association of lawyers as generally organized in countries following the Anglo-American types of jurisprudence. in
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
, established in 1974. The institute amalgamated the ''Bar Council of Sri Lanka'' which represented the
Advocates
An advocate is a professional in the field of law. Different countries and legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a barrister or a solicitor. Howeve ...
and ''Law Society of Sri Lanka'' which represented the
Proctors, following which both branches were merged into a group of practitioners called Attorneys-At-Law under the ''Justice Law No. 44 of 1973 ''. Membership is optional for any Attorney-at-law. Traditionally the President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka is considered the head of the
unofficial bar
The unofficial bar in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separa ...
.
[{{cite news , title=‘GOODBYE TO FIRST-EVER LADY CJ OF SRI LANKA’: BASL PRESIDENT , url=https://www.mfa.gov.lk/goodbye-to-first-ever-lady-cj-of-sri-lanka-basl-president/ , accessdate=4 May 2020 , publisher=Daily FT]
Past Presidents
*
Hector Wilfred Jayewardene, QC (1975 - 1977)
*
Eardley Perera
John Eardley Russel Perera President's Counsel (Sri Lanka), PC (20 October 1925 - 31 December 2004) was a Sri Lankan lawyer and the 2nd president of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (1977–78). He was a member of the Law Commission and the Counc ...
, PC (1977 - 1979)
* A. C. Gooneratne, QC (1979 - 1981)
*
A. C. de Zoysa (1981 - 1983)
* Herman J C Perera (1983 - 1985)
* Nimal Senanayake, PC (1985 - 1987)
*
H. L. de Silva, PC (1987 - 1989)
* Desmond Fernando, PC (1989 - 1991)
*
Ranjith Abeysuriya, PC (1991 - 1993)
* D. W. Abeyakoon, PC (1993 - 1995)
* N R M Daluwatte, PC (1995 - 1997)
* Romesh de Silva, PC (1997 - 1999)
* Upali A. Gooneratne, PC (1999 - 2001)
* Ajantha W. Athukorala (2001 - 2003)
* Ananda Wijesekera, PC (2003 - 2004)
* M Ikram Mohamed, PC (2004 - 2005)
* Desmond Fernando, PC (2005 - 2006)
* Nihal Jayamanne, PC (2006 - 2008)
* W. Dayaratne, PC (2008 - 2010)
*
Shibly Aziz, PC (2010 - 2012)
*
Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC (2012 - 2013)
* Upul Jayasuriya, PC (2013 - 2015)
* Geoffrey Alagaratnam, PC (2015 - 2017)
* U. R. De Silva, PC (2017 - 2019)
*
Kalinga Indatissa, PC (2019 - 2021)
*
Saliya Pieris, PC (2021 - 2023 )
See also
*
Attorney General's Department (Sri Lanka)
References
External links
BASL Website
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
Organizations established in 1974
Professional associations based in Sri Lanka
Bar associations of Asia
Law of Sri Lanka