Sri Lanka has revised the guidelines governing the appointment of President’s Counsel, introducing a minimum 20-year professional experience requirement for eligible Attorneys-at-Law.
The revised guidelines were issued through Gazette Extraordinary No. 2498/76 dated July 24, 2026, under the direction of the President in terms of Article 33(e) of the Constitution.
The Gazette repeals and replaces Guideline No. 4 of the existing guidelines published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2255/24 on November 24, 2021.
Under the revised guideline, an Attorney-at-Law will be eligible for appointment as a President’s Counsel only if he or she has been enrolled as an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka for a minimum of 20 years.
The Gazette was issued by the Presidential Secretariat and signed by Secretary to the President Dr. N. S. Kumanayake.
Meanwhile, applications have been invited for the appointment of President’s Counsel for 2026. Eligible Attorneys-at-Law are required to submit their applications on or before August 31, 2026.
