Page 21 - QUALITY MAGAZINE_Volume 02 (Issue II)_Web Ready File (1)

QUALIT Y JANUARY 2024

As a legal professional, how do you In terms of productivity, what are your
Q 1Q 1 perceive the concepts of quality and Q3Q3 thoughts on how Sri Lanka’s current
productivity within your field? legal system impacts the productivity
The legal profession in this country has been the of its people?
cornerstone in maintaining law and order, while ensuring In my opinion, the legal system in Sri Lanka has had a
that we have a just society. In terms of quality, we refer positive influence on productivity in the country. In
to the maintenance of standards, while productivity is order for people to be productive, we must have a stable
concerned with efficiency. The successful functioning of society, for which the rule of law is essential. Further,
the legal system in this country depends on the quality to ensure the investor’s confidence, supportive business
and productivity of our legal professionals, which has operations and economic growth, any country must
been exemplary, I am pleased to note. have a strong legal framework that can tackle frauds,
The quality and productivity of the legal professionals corruptions and other crimes.
depends on our legal education and also continuous Sri Lanka also need a robust contract enforcement
professional development. We are fortunate to have mechanism to ensure that agreements are protected.
several very high-quality institutions that are capable of The legal system must be able to protect the rights of
producing capable lawyers. In addition, there are many people. This includes property rights, which ensures
CPD programs to ensure that their knowledge is up to that investments are protected. This is essential to
date. give confidence to investors. We also have labour laws
that protect workers’ rights and ensure that they have
a fair, safe environment, which also influences their
In relation to the legal profession, what productivity.
Q2Q2 are the actions or opportunities taken However, I must mention that there are also challenges
in Sri Lanka to enhance the Quality? in our legal system with respect to productivity. We know
I am happy to note that, over the years, many actions that judicial delays have been a significant problem with
and opportunities have been taken to improve the our system. This obviously impacts businesses when
quality of legal professionals in Sri Lanka. In the sphere they have to face long drawn-out legal disputes. As a
of legal education, the latest technology has been result, they face disruptions to their operations and
incorporated, giving students access to legal databases, financial strain. They also have to contend with complex
case management software and other computer-related regulations and bureaucracy which can be difficult for
tools, so they are well-versed in the use of the latest businesses, particularly small ones, to navigate. There
software. In addition, the legal curricula that is taught in are also problems with accessing legal service in rural
our universities has been updated to include the latest areas and high legal costs, which can be burdensome.
issues, best practices and case studies, so graduates are So, these are issues that I think should be addressed.
equipped to handle real-world challenges.
In terms of continuous professional development,
organizations such as the Bar Association of Sri Lanka
have organized programs to ensure that the lawyers
The Integral Role of the Legal are up-to-date on new laws and the latest cases. There “ “
are also specialized training courses in subjects such as
international law and commercial law are also available
System in Sri Lanka to Foster for lawyers to deepen their knowledge in certain areas. In the sphere of legal education,
the latest technology has been
The establishment of legal libraries, such as the
incorporated, giving students
Supreme Court Library and university libraries, have
Quality and Productivity been a valuable resource for legal professionals. Online sosss to legal databases,
case management
databases have become more popular, so lawyers can ACCESS
carry out research easily and efficiently.
software
We also see an increased focus on ethics and professional
standards. There are courses on this subject at most &
Mr. Sujeewa Lal Dahanayake has distinguished himself in the legal field with notable academic and universities. In addition, there is oversight by regulatory other computer-related tools,
professional achievements. He earned a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree in International Business and Commercial Law bodies, such as BASL, to ensure that ethical standards are
from the University of West London, as well as a master’s degree in human Rights from the University of Colombo. maintained. Thanks to these initiatives, we have been so they are well-versed
Admitted to the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka as an Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Dahanayake has since been a dedicated able to maintain the quality of the legal professionals in
practitioner, specializing in Civil and Commercial Law. this country. in the use of the latest software.
He currently serves as the President-Elect of the Organization of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka (OPA), the
apex body comprising 52 member associations that represent 34 professions, boasting a combined membership
of over 60,000 professionals. Additionally, he is an Executive Committee member of the Institute of Quality and
Productivity Management (IQPM).
He served as the Deputy Chairman/ Acting Chairman / Director of the Tourist Board (Western Province) from 2016 to
Department of Industrial Quality Management
Department of Industrial Quality Management
Department of Industrial Quality Management
18 2019. He was appointed as a Member of the Law Reforms Committee of the National Child Protection Authority of Sri Department of Industrial Quality Management 19
Lanka (NCPA) in 2021. General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University
General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University