The ‘Association of Corporate Lawyers Sri Lanka’ (ACL) was formed in the year 1987. It was originally conceived as a forum for lawyers employed mainly in Banks and other financial institutions. The initial name was ‘Association of Lawyers in Employment’ and even at present the eligibility criteria for membership involves the fact of ‘employment’. Today the membership of ACL comprises corporate lawyers employed within a wide array of private and public companies, government organizations, statutory bodies, law firms and other organizations operating in a number of areas, in addition to the aforementioned banks and financial institutions.

‘Lawyers in Employment’ or ‘Corporate Lawyers’ represent an identifiable segment of lawyers with specialized objectives and professional goals. Typically, a Corporate Lawyer would place great emphasis upon contribution towards profit maximization or cost minimization within an organization, whilst ensuring that all transactions are handled in a legally adequate and acceptable manner that averts undue risk of adverse implications. Further, such a Corporate Lawyer works in conjunction and co-ordination with other professionals relevant to the workings of an organization, as a member of a team focused upon common goals. This ‘vision’ of Corporate Lawyers which has now gained much recognition and appreciation by a large number of organizations, has facilitated otherwise harder to achieve win-win scenarios for material stakeholders. In the process, numerous beneficial results have been achieved, not only for corporate lawyers and the organizations they serve, but for the nation’s economy as well.

ACL operates on defined objectives formulated, refined and updated by members who represent organizations which operate in different key segments. ‘Professional Development’ and ‘Networking’ among members are two key objectives among these defined objectives.

In addition to the organizing of seminars, workshops and conferences, ACL has made specific contribution towards organizing ‘Post-Attorney Advanced Diploma in Corporate Law’, in order to ensure that all ACL members are better equipped through necessary skills development in a global business and trading context. Furthermore, ACL works very closely with other professional organizations in Sri Lanka to promote the concept of ‘Corporate Legal Counsel’, the most suitable definition in the modern context for an in-house or employed lawyer.

The main Annual Event of ACL is the ‘Corporate Law Conference’ and ACL has organized four very successful conferences since 2005. Further, it is the first law conference of the year.

In addition to the above, ACL is in the process of developing effective relationships with other similar international associations of in-house lawyers or corporate counsel in different countries. As an initial step, ACL entered into a ‘Regional Memorandum of Cooperation’ (RMOC) with associations of corporate counsel from Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea. This provides very unique opportunities for members to increase and update awareness of modern global trends and enables better utilization of such trends for the benefit and advancement of the respective organizations in which such members are employed.

I strongly believe that ACL will be a very successful forum for the meaningful proliferation of mutually beneficial interaction and networking among all employed lawyers, who have a duty and a positive role to play in facilitating national development in line with truly international standards.

I sincerely and truly appreciate the immeasurable contribution of all members, the organizations at which they are employed and other supporting organizations towards the substantial and progressive realization of the objectives of ACL.

Ravi Thilakawardana
President