Ayomi Aluwihare-Gunawardene

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F. J. & G. de Saram is the oldest law firm in Sri Lanka.

The practice was commenced in 1841 by F. J. de Saram. Snr., the same year in which the overland emigration to California began by wagon trail. Melbourne in Australia was founded only six years before that.

In Sri Lanka those were the early days of British rule; their conquest of the whole island was completed in 1818.

After the British captured the maritime provinces of Sri Lanka from the Dutch, in 1796, they accepted responsibility for the debt notes, known as Kredit Brieven, carrying 3% interest per annum issued by the Dutch regime. The Firm held these for its clients until its redemption 91 years later.

The economy under the British was built on the plantation industry. The Firm played a key role in the establishment and development of that industry. British planters turned the Island into what was referred to years later as “Lipton’s Tea Garden” after the name of the founder of the famous company. He was a client of the Firm. The Firm also acted for other pioneering planters, road builders and for individuals such as Charles Hay Cameron who framed the Judicial Charter of 1833 and sat as the member of the Colebrook Commission which introduced the first Legislative Council of Sri Lanka of modern times.

The contribution the Firm made to the development of the economy of Sri Lanka transcended to every other area as well.