Our Responsibilities

The core values of our founders remain deeply entrenched in our practice:

Several of our lawyers are actively involved in the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and in particular in the activities of the Junior Bar. We also provide training through internships at the firm as well as through lecturers at universities and academic institutions to share our expertise and experience with new lawyers.

We support the interests of the business community in many ways, including by our involvement in:

• Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) – by contributing legal views to members and as well as to submissions of the CCC with regard to legislative reform;
• Institute for the development of Commercial Law and Practice(ICLP) – by supporting the establishment, promotion and operation of a commercial arbitration centre in Sri Lanka for the settlement of commercial disputes;
• Sri Lanka Association of Software Services Companies (SLASSCOM) – by assisting with the establishment of numerous starts-ups, in addition to conducting workshops to assist entrepreneurs to navigate the challenges of the start-up phase;
• Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance – a private sector initiative to build resilience in the industry and to promote sustainable tourism;
• Sri Lanka Press Institute – for a self-regulated press;
• Sri Lanka College of Journalism – to enhance the standards of journalism in Sri Lanka by educating the profession and setting up a journalism research and resource centre.

We continuously invest in our people. Our lawyers receive on–the–job training from experienced lawyers who are industry experts, and have access to our in-house Continuing Legal Education program. The aim of this holistic, two-pronged approach is to foster continuous growth, giving our people the support and tools needed to reach their full potential. Each lawyer is encouraged to explore their areas of professional interest and supported to develop their own individual practice/s within the firm.

We feel a deep sense of responsibility to the communities of which we are a part and strive to take positive, meaningful steps to create a better future for them. We provide pro bono legal services for projects that benefit these communities as well as to the Government of Sri Lanka, archaeologists, artists, diverse corporate entities, environmentalists, journalists, charitable trusts and social workers etc.

Our pro bono work includes establishing and/or assisting institutions such as:

• South Asia Foundation – Sri Lanka Chapter – for the development of relations within the SAARC region;
• Chitrasena Vajira Dance Foundation – for the preservation for posterity of national dances of Sri Lanka;
• National Trust – Sri Lanka – for the protection, conservation and safeguarding of the natural, cultural, tangible and intangible heritage of Sri Lanka;
• Gamidiriya Foundation – to strengthen the rural economy at a grass roots level to further the implementation of the Government Poverty Alleviation Strategy;
• Dialogue and Conflict Resolution Trust – to facilitate conflict resolution between employers and trade unions;
• Ontime Technologies (Private) Limited – the first rural IT BPO in Sri Lanka for local and international backup office operations. The once remote village of Mahavilachchiya has gained national and international fame as an “e-village” with the highest density of computers of any village in Sri Lanka and broadband internet connectivity in many parts of the village;
• Lanka Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS – to leverage the business community to make a committed response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

We have also worked with companies / institutions such as Rotary International, Kurier Aid, Siemens, Agio Cigars, Jetwing Hotels, Hayleys on various projects for providing distress relief and post-tsunami reconstruction by setting up housing projects, schools, vocational training centres, orphanages, medical clinics and health centres and self-employment loan schemes etc.

In January 2019, we launched the FJ&G Green Earth Project with the goal of triggering a shift towards a mindset which has accountability for our planet’s future at its core. This initiative aims to reduce our footprint and foster a culture of “planet consciousness” among our lawyers and staff. It is our hope that each small step we take towards a more sustainable practice has a ripple effect, gradually influencing our families and communities to work together towards a greener, healthier planet.

Since the launch of the FJ&G Green Earth Project, we have;

• Stopped the purchase of any form of single use plastic and invested in re-usable and eco-friendly alternatives;
• Introduced measures to reuse any existing plastic and to reduce the purchase of new plastic;
• Implemented projects to reduce our waste output and use of resources, including investing in technology to become a “paper light” practice – a major shift for a professional services firm operating in a traditionally paper-intensive field;
• Continued “bike to work” days, introduced many years ago, which encourages lawyers to reduce their carbon footprint while travelling to work; and
• Held our first community program for the collection and proper disposal of e-waste.

During its 180^th year, FJ&G became a certified “carbon neutral” firm – the first law firm and first professional service organization in Sri Lanka to be certified as such – a major milestone in our continuing endeavours to be conscious of our environmental impact and take meaningful steps to reduce that impact. It is our hope that we will inspire others to follow suit and to make a similar effort towards more sustainable practices.