Apprentices Training Programme

This is a joint effort with the Sri Lanka Law College. The purpose of this is to train apprentices who have just passed the Law College final year exams and the LAC trains two batches of apprentices every year.

Certificate Course in Para Legal Studies

A program for educating the public on laws relating to day to day life. The basic qualification is passing the GCE A/L Examination or having two years working experience in government or private sector. After completing the program students have to face for the exam and a certificate will be awarded.

Contact person -

Head of Desk – Ms. Harshani Balaharuwa, Attorney –at- Law

Legal Officer, Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka –

129, High Court Complex, Colombo 12 (Head office)

Number – 0112433618   extension   111

Call time – 9 a.m to 4 p.m on weekdays

LAC provides following services for Senior Citizens (above 60 years of age) in the country.

• Filing Cases in the Magistrate Courts to enforce the maintenance orders made by the Elders’ Maintenance Board under section 32 of the Protection of Elders Rights Act No. 09 of 2000.

• Providing free legal advise and Court appearances for elders for their legal issues related to Properties/Domestic Violence/Fundamental Rights/etc

• Addressing their legal documentation Problems such as birth certificates.

• Conducting Legal Awareness Programs island – wide for the members of the elders societies established under the elders Act.
• Publishing pamphlets and booklets to educate them on their legal rights

Sri Lanka is recognized as the country in Asia which has a growing elderly population. In Sri Lanka 2.3 million (14%) population are above 60, which constitutes 6.5 of the voting population of the country. Therefore the political, economic and social sectors in the country have to give a special attention in resolving issues related to elderly.

Protection of Elders Rights Act No. 09 of 2000 provides protection for being neglected from children. Legal Aid Commission is implementing above services for senior citizens to empower them to vindicate their rights.

Head of Desk

Piyumi Kumari Samarasinghe, Attorney-at-Law

Legal Officer

Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka

129, High Court Complex, Colombo 12

Extension – 109

Call Time - 09.00 am to 04.00 pm

After 12.00 p.m (preferably)

LAC Appointments under the Right to Information Act No.12 of 2016

Ms. Thamarashi Wickramanayake, Legal Officer - - Information officer – LAC

Ms. Piyumi Kumari Samarasainghe Legal Officer- Designated Officer - LAC

LAC desk on Right to Information provides following services.

• Legal Advice on RTI process
• Assisting the public in filing RTI applications
• Issuing RTI applications
• Court representation if necessary
• Coordinates with the Ministry of Mass media and RTI Commission on matters related to RTI
• Providing resource persons to conduct RTI sessions
• Conducting awareness raising programmes and workshops on RTI – LAC conducted workshops for Court Staff attached to Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, officers attached to Mediation Boards, Labour tribunals, Civil Activists and Lawyers, Information Officers attached to Courts, general public, government officers In 2017 /2019 .        

Contact person

Head of Desk – Thamarashi Wickramanayake Attorney –at- Law

Legal Officer, Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka –

129, High Court Complex, Colombo 12 (Head office)

Number – 0112433618   extension   112

Call time – 9 a.m to 4 p.m on weekdays

Legal Aid Desk for migrant workers – This LAC desk on migrant workers helps migrant workers and their family members to resolve their legal issues.

• Legal Advise for migrant workers and their family members.

Most of the migrant workers seek legal advise prior to their departure and after returning to Sri Lanka. When migrant workers face legal problems while they are abroad their family members ask for legal assistance from the LAC. 

Legal advise is given for following issues – e.g. legal procedure to follow before departure for foreign employment, family background report, custody of children, human trafficking and other related legal matters.

• Legal Assistance for court cases. 
• Publications - LAC publish booklets/leaflets on migration and distribute in awareness  raising programs, workshops and exhibitions. 
• LAC coordinates with the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau, Foreign Ministry (consular division), Dpartment of Immigration and Emigration, the divisional secretaries and grama niladari and DS officers regarding legal issues of migrant workers and their families.
• LAC conducts legal awareness programs/clinics specifically for migrant workers and also deliver lectures on protection and assistance to migrant workers in general legal awareness programs. 

The LAC conducted 26 legal awareness programmes and legal aid clinics for migrant workers and their families during 2014 - 2019 in following divisions. 

•  Kanthale, Kurunagala,Ampara, Mathara, Balangoda, Negambo, Galle, Kandy, Badulla, Bandarawela, Chilaw, Mathale, Vavuniya, Polonnaruwa, Nikaweratiya, Anuradhapura, Mahiyanganaya, Wariyapola, Thissamaharamaya, Kakirawa, Kabithigillawa, Nuwaraeliya, Galgamuwe, Gampaha, Panadura, Buththala, Negambo
• LAC also conducts awareness raising programmes and workshops on Human Trafficking. 

Contact person -

Head of Desk – Thamarashi Wickramanayake Attorney –at- Law

Legal Officer, Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka –

129, High Court Complex, Colombo 12 (Head office)

Number – 0112433618    extension    112

Call time – 9 a.m to 4 p.m on weekdays 

The Legal Aid Commission has been providing Legal Advice and Legal Assistance through Mobile Clinics for remand prisoners, more than 15 years.

Following services are provided for remand prisoners.

1. Assisting to obtain Bail
2. Providing Legal Assistance for other cases
3. Conducting Legal Awareness Programmes
4. Filing Applications-Appeal Applications and Revision Applications on behalf of Remand prisnoers.
5. Seeking Advice from the Attorney General regarding bail issues.

• • Conducting Legal Awareness Programmes for Remand Officers
  • Providing Special Assistance for Remandees in National institute of Mental Health.
  • Conducting Legal Awareness Programmes for Remand prisoners in following prisonsIsland-wide.

1. Jaffna
2. Batticaloa
3. Trincomalee
4. Kuruwita
5. Agunakolapalassa
6. Weerawila
7. Bussa

Contact person -

Head of Desk – Ms. Thushari Sakunthala, Attorney –at- Law

Legal Officer, Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka –

129, High Court Complex, Colombo 12 (Head office)

Number – 0112433618   extension   108

Call time – 9 a.m to 4 p.m on weekdays

The Legal Aid Commission functions a separate legal assistance unit for women to provide following services.

• Legal advise for women
• Appearing for cases related to women – maintenance, divorce, domestic violence cases
• Conducting Legal Awareness Programmes

Awareness raising programmes are conducted for rural women, semi urban and urban women.

Objectives of the programmes are to safeguard women rights and prevent violence and all forms of discrimination against women. LAC raise legal awareness on laws related to women such as maintenance, domestic violence, marriage, divorce, custody of children and day to day life.

LAC coordinates with the Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Affairs and implements programs in various parts of the country. LAC is one of the committee members of the National Women Forum.

Contact person -

Head of Desk – Ms.Kaushalya Hapuarachchi, Attorney at- Law

Legal Officer, Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka –

129, High Court Complex, Colombo 12 (Head office)

Number – 0112433618   extension   104

Call time – 9 a.m to 4 p.m on weekdays

Introduction

All human beings are born free, equal in dignity and rights. The recognition of “dignity” and justice for all persons” is a universial principle. This emphasizes Fundamental Human rights and protects the persons with disabilities too.

Disability arrises due to birth, War, Accident, Age. Etc………….

Sri Lanka

The population of Sri Lanka is just over 19 million. According to the data published by the Department of Census and Statistics 274,711 people (or approximately 300,000) or 1.6% of the total population are disabled.

What is Disability

The protection of the rights of persons with disabilities Act of No 28 of 1996.

Disability as “any person who as a result any deficiency in his physical or mental capabilities, whether congenital or not, is unable by himself to ensure for himself wholly or partly, the necessities of life.”

LAC has a desk for the rights of disabled persons. LAC provides

• Free Consultation
• Free Litigation
• Public Awareness Programmes

For the disabled persons in Sri Lanka.

Head of the desk - Uthpala Adikari

Legal Officer - Coordinator for disable persons Programmes

Contact No Tel - 0112433618