Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya will run for the position of President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) for the 2025/2026 term, in elections scheduled for February 2025.
Amarasuriya was elected Secretary of the BASL in February 2020 with a landslide victory, securing 83% of the votes. His tenure began during the country’s first lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As Secretary from 2020 to 2022, Amarasuriya is credited with providing transformational leadership, navigating both the pandemic and the economic crisis. He introduced several innovative initiatives, modernized BASL operations with new technology, and revamped its approach to Continuous Legal Education and Professional Development.
Under his leadership, the BASL successfully connected with its entire membership, regardless of geographic location, by introducing the BASL Webinar Series, conducted in Sinhala, Tamil, and English. Over two years, 175 webinars were held with the participation of more than 500 lawyers as resource persons. These webinars remain accessible on the BASL YouTube channel. Additionally, he launched BASL Online Certificate Courses, benefiting approximately 2,000 members and generating the highest revenue for the BASL from such programs.
Amarasuriya received his primary and secondary education at Royal College, Colombo, where he was a Senior Prefect and Editor of the College Magazine. He excelled academically, achieving 4 A’s in his Advanced Level Examination, ranking nationally, and receiving the most prizes at his final Prize Giving. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Colombo with Second Class Upper Division Honors and later topped his batch at the Sri Lanka Law College, where he won the prestigious Justice Siva Supramaniam Gold Medal.
In addition to his legal credentials, Amarasuriya is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK), a Chartered Global Management Accountant, a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka, and an alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School (Executive Education). In 2013, he was honored with the CIMA Star Gold Award as the most outstanding CIMA member under 40, and in 2021, he was recognized as a CIMA-LMD Trailblazer.
Amarasuriya has a robust career in public and civil law, having worked with eminent legal figures like Dr. K. Kanag-Isvaran, PC, and Sanjeeva Jayawardena, PC. He now practices independently, specializing in public law and civil litigation before the appellate courts. Additionally, he offers corporate and legal consultancy in various civil and commercial matters.
This year, Amarasuriya was appointed to the Governing Board and the Monetary Policy Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, following approval from the Constitutional Council. He also serves on the University of Colombo Council, the Standing Committee of Legal Studies at the University Grants Commission, and represents Sri Lanka in the Commonwealth Legal Education Association. Since 2021, he has been an Executive Committee member of LAWASIA.
Amarasuriya has held numerous other distinguished roles, including membership in the Council of Legal Education of Sri Lanka, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Sri Lanka National Arbitration Centre, and the Sri Lanka Accounting and Auditing Standards Board. He has been President of the University of Colombo Alumni Association and chaired several major legal conferences. He has also lectured and examined in tax law at the University of Colombo’s Faculty of Law.
Known for his strong commitment to a principled, independent, and professional Bar, Amarasuriya brings a wealth of experience and leadership to his candidacy for BASL President.
