Tiruchelvam Associates

The firm: Tiruchelvam Associates was established in 1982, by Dr Neelan Tiruchelvam PC and Sithie Tiruchelvam. It developed from the chambers of former senator, minister and solicitor-general of Sri Lanka, M Tiruchelvam KC. Dr Neelan Tiruchelvam was a scholar, an internationally recognised constitutional lawyer, a member of parliament and a visiting professor at Harvard Law. Dr Tiruchelvam’s constitution making skills were renowned, and he assisted in the drafting of several constitutions of Central Asian countries and also post-conflict Ethiopia.

Since 1999, Sithie Tiruchelvam has led the firm as precedent partner. Her expertise includes representing foreign and domestic multinationals in corporate and commercial transactions. She served on the board of John Keels Holdings, one of three blue chip companies in Sri Lanka as a non-executive director and has played a pivotal role in some of Sri Lanka’s most ground-breaking investment ventures. Sithie was renowned for her contributions to the field of human rights and has served on the boards of several non-profit organisations.

The firm is now led by three partners, Asanka Abeyesekera, Ramani Muttettuwegama and Laila Nasry.

Asanka heads the corporate affairs and real estate divisions of the firm. Her expertise in investment law stems from her initial work with Sri Lanka’s first investment regulator (the Greater Colombo Economic Commission, the Board of Investment’s predecessor). Coupled with her experience as vice president – legal for the Vanik group, at that time Sri Lanka’s premier investment banking group.

Ramani is the managing partner of the firm. Specialising in IT and telecom law, she also supervises the employment, immigration and intellectual property divisions of the firm. Her extensive background in human rights makes her a skilled negotiator and she is TA’s key representative with regulators.

Laila leads the litigation and arbitration practice of the firm and also manages much of the mergers and acquisition work of the firm including commercial contracts. She joined the firm after managing a considerable portfolio at the Attorney General’s department of Sri Lanka and is an expert on laws and regulations on energy and natural resources, often requested for expert legal advice by Sri Lanka’s leading energy experts. Laila’s work with the AG’s department has given her much expertise on infrastructure and development related projects and she advises on multi faceted projects. Laila, also advises many of the firm’s clients engaged in the global healthcare and pharmaceutical industry.

Areas of practice: The firm provides a broad spectrum of services which range from corporate and commercial practice encompassing advisory services, intellectual property, real estate and conveyancing, litigation and alternative dispute resolution. The firm’s corporate secretarial arm, Central Corporate and Consultancy Services (Private) Limited, provides services to corporate clients in all stages of their business life, from incorporation to liquidation. The firm frequently counsels multinational investors and corporate clients both local and foreign in a variety of industries and businesses, including but not limited to, the banking and finance sector, power and energy, telecommunications, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, information technology, tourism, immigration, intellectual property, taxation and infrastructure development.