A significant calendar event of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, ‘the National Law Week 2017’ will be held under the banner, “Justice for You”, with various projects, workshops and activities taking place across the island from February 27 to March 5, with the participation of over 1000 Attorneys-at-Law representing all regional bars, comprising both official and unofficial bars in Sri Lanka.
The brain child of the National Law Week was the late Justice C.G. Weeramantry, a Judge of the International Court of Justice and arguably the greatest jurist Sri Lanka has produced and the said event has been an annual fixture since 2006. The National Law Week 2017 is an event organised by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) with the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka through a Committee headed by the National Law Week Chairman Kuvera de Zoysa PC and Convenor Nishan Premathiratne, Attorney at-Law.
Under the theme “Justice for You”, the National Law Week 2017 aims to start a dialog and educate the general public, law students and legal and other professionals about the laws that apply to them on a daily basis, whilst also providing the necessary support structure via workshops and legal aid in order to address targeted requirements of professionals such as architects, artists, bankers, doctors, etc.
The main program and exhibition will be held at the Hulftsdorp Courts Complex, Colombo on March 3 and 4 and will feature legal aid clinics in order to provide free legal advice and legal aid to any individual. Invited dignitaries expected to attend include the President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Wijedasa Rajapakshe, Minister of Justice, Chief Justice K. Sripavan, Attorney General, Jayantha Jayasuriya PC, and members of the judiciary, President’s Counsels and several leading entrepreneurs.
Similar legal aid clinics will be open to the public from February 27 to March 4 at the premises of respective court complexes of the following Bars: February 27 – Marawila and Chilaw; February 28: Badulla; March 1 – Kurunegala; March 2 – Balapitya; March 3 – Ratnapura; March 4 – Jaffna.
All those intending to attend the above mentioned legal aid clinics in Colombo on March 3 and 4 to obtain free legal advice are requested to register with BASL by calling on 0113133864 and 0113133872.
The exhibition to be held in Colombo together with the legal aid clinics will provide the general public the opportunity to obtain services and advice from government institutions. Around 30 important government institutions including the Attorney General’s department, Ministry of Justice, Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, The National Child Protection Authority, Department of Prisons, Department of Immigration and Emigration, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, Department of Probation and Child Care Services, Department of the Legal Draftsman, Sri Lanka Customs, Department of Labour, Department of Pensions, the Employees Provident Fund, the Department of Debt Conciliation Board and the Inland Revenue Department are expected to participate at this event.
Further information could be obtained at the BASL office: at No 153, Mihindu Mawatha, Colombo 12.
Nishan Premathiratne,
Attorney-at-Law,
Convenor.
National Law Week -2017