Law & Society Trust appoints new Executive Director

The Law and Society Trust announced the appointment of Dinushika Dissanayake as its Executive Director with effect from 1 June. Dissanayake succeeds Mala Liyanage who led the organisation since 2010.

Dissanayake brings a wealth of knowledge and a demonstrated commitment to human rights to her new role. Having been admitted to the Bar in 2009, she has experience as a practicing lawyer particularly in the appellate Courts of Sri Lanka, whilst most recently also serving as a Senior Consultant for LST. Meanwhile she has engaged in legal research and publication in Sri Lanka. She most recently served as a Senior Consultant, leading the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Program of LST. 

Dissanayake has also interned in the Co-Prosecutor’s Office of the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia (ECCCL under a fellowship from the International Law and Human Rights Student Fellowship Program, New York University School of Law.

Dissanayake obtained a Masters in Law from the New York University School of Law, New York in 2010/2011, where she was an Arthur T. Vanderbilt Scholar and a Transitional Justice scholar. She earned her Bachelor of Laws from the University of Colombo (Uoe) in 2008, and thereafter graduated from Sri Lanka Law College. She received the Julius and Creasy Prize for Tax Law and the Visuvalingam & Rajakunam Buvasundaram Memorial Gold Medal for Bachelor of Laws from the University of Colombo. 

In addition to her legal qualifications, Dissanayake has completed all examinations of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK (CIMA) and has a Diploma in Journalism from the Sri Lanka College of Journalism.

Dissanayake has published in local and international legal journals, including a refereed international law journal. She has co-authored a publication on Labour Laws in Sri Lanka published by LST, presented a paper at the Commonwealth Law Conference in 2008, and has been awarded the Capital Market Research Award in 2007 by the SEC for her research on the Takeovers and Mergers Code.

The Law & Society Trust (LST) is a not for profit organisation engaged in human rights documentation, legal research and advocacy based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Its aim is to use rights based strategies in research, documentation and advocacy in order to promote and protect human rights, enhance public accountability and respect for the rule of law. Some of its main activities include legal education and skills training, research and publications, rights awareness raising, dissemination of information, networking and coalition building at a national and international level. 

The Board of Directors is confident that under Dissanayake’s leadership, LST will successfully meet the opportunities and challenges that post-war Sri Lanka presents, and advance the vision of its founder, Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam.