Find Legal expertise in Sri Lanka
- Legal System
- Profession
- Development
Legal System
Sri Lanka’s legal system stems from a diverse range of influences including English Common Law, Roman-Dutch civil law and Jaffna Tamil customary law. The court system follows a common structure of primary courts, magistrates’ courts and district courts, then the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Criminal matters come under the jurisdiction of the High Court and civil matters under that of the district courts. Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president, whilst others are appointed by the Judicial Service Commission.
Profession
Members of the legal profession in Sri Lanka hold the title of Attorney-at-Law. Those wishing to be enrolled in the Bar of Sri Lanka must complete their legal education at the Sri Lanka Law College, the only gateway into the legal profession in the country. In 2009, 561 law students passed the final exams to obtain an LLB. Post-graduate advanced legal training courses are also taught at the Sri Lanka Law College. Legal practitioners who were appointed Queen’s Counsel before the constitution of 1978 and those appointed Senior Attorney-at-Law thereafter are, according to the constitution, known as President’s Counsel and enjoy the same privileges previously given to the Queen’s Counsel.
Notable law firms operating in the country include Varners , Tiruchelvam Associates, Paul Ratnayeke Associates, Sudath Perera Associates, Nithya Partners, Murugesu & Neelakandan, Julius & Creasy, John Wilson Partners, FJ & G de Saram and DL & F De Saram. Most are based in the capital, Colombo.
Development
Information from the World Economic Forum, The Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013
| Value | World Mean | Rank |
Legal rights index | 4.0/10 | – | 99/144 |
Efficiency of legal framework in settling disputes | 4.5/7.0 | 3.8/7.0 | 33/144 |
Efficiency of legal framework in challenging regulations | 4.4/7.0 | 3.7/7.0 | 34/144 |
Property rights (including financial assets) | 4.3/7.0 | 4.3/7.0 | 65/144 |
Intellectual property protection | 3.8/7.0 | 3.8/7.0 | 55/144 |
Legal organisations in Sri Lanka | |
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Palitha Mathew & Company |
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