Chandaka Jayasundere, P.C. to Contest BASL Presidency

After considerable persuasion and strong encouragement from both senior and junior members of the legal profession,  Chandaka Jayasundere, President’s Counsel, has announced his candidacy for the position of President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) 2025/2026.

Called to the Bar in 1991 and becoming a President’s Counsel in 2017,  Jayasundere primarily worked in the Chambers of   K. Kanag-Isvaran, P.C., and also in the Chambers of  Kalinga Indatissa PC and now heads his own Chambers specialising in Commercial law, with a particular emphasis on Maritime law, Multimodal transport law, International trade law, Company Law, Intellectual property law, and Arbitration. His extensive practice includes appearances in the District Court, Commercial High Court, and the Appellate Courts as well as participation in international and local arbitrations both as a counsel and Arbitrator. He also appeared in landmark Supreme Court cases, representing the interests of the legal profession, the State, the environment, the economy, and the public at large, underscoring his commitment to justice and social welfare.   Jayasundere has served in multiple capacities, including chairing various subcommittees of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Justice. Notably, he led the Commercial Law Committee for several years, spearheading key initiatives to advance commercial law Practice and implement critical reforms in the country. He was also the Chairman of the Legal Committee advising the State with regard to the ‘Express Pearl’ incident. He has made contributions to legal education as a lecturer and course director for several prestigious institutions, including the Bar Association, Sri Lanka Law College, and the Institute of Commercial Law and Practice (ICLP). He has also published extensively and contributed to law journals and newspapers. He holds a master’s degree in International Trade law from the University of Colombo.