It is re-confirmed that for foreign law degrees to be valid in Sri Lanka, one must study from scratch at a law college.

The Court of Appeal has rejected the suspension of the new examination conditions imposed by the Sri Lanka Law College authorities regarding students who obtain law degrees from foreign universities and return to the country. An interim injunction request filed against the decision to make it mandatory for foreign law graduates to appear for the first and second-year examinations of the Law College after a special entrance examination has been dismissed.

This case was heard before a bench comprising Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysooriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando. The respondents named in this writ petition, filed by a group of foreign graduate students including Fathima Shivar, were the Incorporated Council of Legal Education and the Principal of the Sri Lanka Law College.

Appearing for the petitioners, the lawyers submitted to the court that according to Article 32 of the Council of Legal Education rules, foreign law graduates have a legal right to directly appear for the final examination of the Law College after passing the special entrance examination. Despite this, they argued that the decision by the Law College authorities to require them to complete the first and second-year examinations as well was illegal, and therefore requested an order to prevent it.

However, Additional Solicitor General, President's Counsel Sumathi Dharmawardena, appearing for the respondents, rejected this argument and clarified the facts. He pointed out that the entire process and authority for admitting lawyers in this country are vested in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, emphasizing that, according to Supreme Court rules, the law examination is a single examination consisting of three parts.

The respondent party stated that since the petitioner students must complete these examination parts in accordance with the Supreme Court rules, there is no legal necessity to suspend the Law College's decision. After considering the submissions, the bench decided to reject the issuance of the interim order. During this court session, President's Counsels Surein Fernando, Viran Corea, and Attorney-at-Law Surein Gnanadasa appeared for the petitioners, under the instructions of Attorney-at-Law Amila Kumara, while the Additional Solicitor General made submissions on behalf of the respondents.