The recent years have been trying with every country being struck by the sudden emergence of theCOVID-19 pandemic among other things. Sri Lanka was hit hard by the Easter Attacks, political turmoil,the pandemic, and an economic crisis that we have yet to recover from.We Sri Lankans have beengreatly affected by the rising cost of living and increase in taxes.Lawyers and the legal profession have not remained unscathed and junior lawyers are facing more hardships than ever before. Many have chosen to leave the country to seek other forms of employment or have chosen to leave the practice toseek a more sustainable source of income.

The economic crisis has also had a negative effect on the general public with many being unable to settle loans and many losing a sizeable portion of their income due to taxes. Sri Lanka as a whole is facing an arduous journey that to us laymen, do not seem to have a light at the end of the tunnel.

At the Junior National Law Conference this year, we seek to address the hardships faced by junior lawyers and to give them the necessary guidance for them to carve a niche for themselves in this tumultuous economy. We also seek to guide them through topics of contemporary significance while actively seeking to motivate junior lawyers to contribute to the revival and growth of the economy. With
that in mind, “Overcoming Obstacles” will be the theme for this year’s Junior National Law Conference.

The conference aims to encourage young lawyers to overcome obstacles not only in matters concerning the law and the legal practice but also in their personal growth, in order to develop into better versions of themselves thereby inadvertently creating the way for a brighter future in the legal profession.