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Eardley Perera's unveiling ceremony:
Bar and Bench pay tributes
by Sarath MALALASEKERA
The bust of a former President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL)
the late President's Counsel Eardley Perera was unveiled by Chief
Justice Asoka de Silva at the Colombo Law Library recently.
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Chief Justice Asoka de Silva garlands the bust of late Eardley
Perera at the Colombo Law Library.
Pic: Rukmal Gamage |
Addressing the invitees the Chief Justice said that late Mr. Perera
was an outstanding criminal lawyer and a fine gentleman who gave maximum
assistance to his juniors while practising.
He said despite being a busy practitioner, appearing in many trials
it was amazing as to how late Mr. Eardley Perera would remember to
exchange pleasantries with those whom he met face to face, including his
juniors.
Recalling an incident when he was the junior to Senior Counsel
Eardley Perera in 1972 in a case at the Panadura Courts, he was able to
obtain the maximum assistance to conduct the case before a Jury trial.
"That was my first case. I still respect him," the Chief Justice
added.
Former Chief Justice, Sarath Nanda Silva in a note to President's
Counsel Eardley Perera on his completing fifty years of practice at the
Bar stated, "President's Counsel Eardley Perera has earned the respect
of the Bench and the Bar alike for legal competence and dedication to
work and those attributes have weighed heavily in his favour to emerge
as a leading criminal lawyer in this country.
Mrs E. Perera and their family members, International Jurist, C.G.
Weeramantry, Judges of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, Colombo
High Court, District Judges, Magistrates, Solicitor General Priyasath
Dep, Secretary Ministry of Justice Suhada Gamlath, senior and junior
members of the Official and Unofficial Bar participated at the unveiling
ceremony.
Past President of the BASL and Secretary, Upali Gooneratne PC
addressing the gathering said that late Eardley Perera belonged to a
family of lawyers who followed in the footsteps of his father the late
CSA Perera and uncles Andrew Silva and Shelton Silva.
His elder brother the late Herman JC Perera was President of the
Incorporated Law Society of Ceylon and later he too became President of
the BASL, making them the only two brothers to adorn this prestigious
office in its history.
Three of late Eardley Perera's children Ravith, Preemali and Vijith
are members of the Bar. |
