Civil and Commercial Law Firm in Sri Lanka

Law Firm Overview

John Wilson Partners was founded in 1920 by the late Senator John Wilson. The firm has been carried on by his son John Wilson and grandson John Wilson Jr. (the present partners) and a team of Professional Assistants.

The law firm John Wilson Partners enjoys an established civil and commercial law practice and caters to many foreign clients for whom advice tends to be in relation to the following: advising on foreign direct investment in Sri Lanka; company law and incorporation of companies in Sri Lanka; preparation of legal opinions on a range of matters; litigation (recoveries and other); conveyancing/notarial practice; and intellectual property matters. We advise a range of foreign clients from the individual wishing to purchase property or invest in Sri Lanka, to foreign corporations wishing to establish an enterprise in Sri Lanka on all aspects of foreign direct investment in Sri Lanka.

Where necessary, we negotiate with the relevant Board of Investment officials for approvals and identify incentives and benefits such as tax holidays available to the enterprise and take all necessary steps in connection with the incorporation of the local Company in accordance with B.O.I. regulations. We also draft connected agreements such as Joint Venture Agreements, Technical, Know How and Management as well as Shareholder Agreements and Asset Purchase agreements. In addition to handling applications for registrations of trademarks, patents and industrial designs, and renewals thereof, we also advise on oppositions and contentious IP litigation. We also undertake trademark searches and draft IP related aspects of franchise and license agreements.

Year this Office was Established: 1920

Areas of Law

Additional Areas of Law: Debt Recovery Litigation; Company Law and Practice; Conveyancing and Notarial Work; Foreign Investment; Legal Opinions and Due Diligence Reports; ICT and Broadcasting; Service of Summons and Other Court Process.

Areas of Law Description

- Adoptions

We advise local and foreign clients on all legal matters arising out of the adoption process including:
• The applicable legal framework for adoption
• Preparation and support of the necessary papers in court
• Liaising with the competent authorities

- Banking and Finance

Our main areas of Banking service include:
• Litigation for recovery of monies advanced
• Preparation of security documentation

Our main areas of service in Finance include:
• Issuing legal opinions in connection with syndicated lending
• Project finance issues

- Capital Markets

We provide legal advice on the legal and regulatory framework governing non-resident investment in listed equity securities, debt and other types of securities including unit trusts.

- Civil Litigation, Dispute Resolution and Arbitration

Cases handled for domestic clients include:
• Debt recovery litigation
• Rent and ejectment matters
• Probate and testamentary applications
• Land and partition actions
• Testamentary matters
• Trust matters

We currently act for clients outside Sri Lanka in litigation and applications to the District Court for:
• Recovery of amounts due on unpaid invoices for goods supplied and delivered to local importers
• Recovery of loans made abroad to individuals now resident in Sri Lanka
• Enforcement of judgments obtained abroad in Sri Lanka
• Resealing of foreign Probates and testamentary work affecting assets owned in Sri Lanka by non-nationals

- Company Law and Practice

Non-contentious work includes:
• Incorporation of companies
• Registration of branch and liaison offices
• Registration of off-shore companies
• Provision of Company Secretarial Services
• Applications to Court under various provisions of the Companies Act

Contentious work includes:
• Oppression and mismanagement applications
• Applications to court for winding up of companies

- Competition and Trade

The complex legal framework in these areas on which we advise includes the provisions of the:
• Fair Trading Commission Act
• Consumer Protection Act
• Mergers Code
• Code of Intellectual Property Act

- Construction Law

We advise on the following:
• Drafting of construction contracts and letters of award
• Vetting of construction contracts and letters of award
• Applicable procurement rules and tender procedures

- Conveyancing and Notarial Work

This includes:
• Preparation of title reports and clearance of title
• Transfers of land and connected sale agreements
• Commercial and residential lease agreements and connected agreements
• Condominium property declarations

- Corporate

This area of practice includes:
• Group restructuring
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Complex commercial agreements such as agency, distribution, franchise, licensing and representative agreements

- E-Commerce

• Domain name reservations
• Domain name registrations
• Web site design, development and hosting agreements

Sri Lanka does not have a specific statute governing e-commerce transactions. Therefore, the existing legal framework governing e-commerce requires careful attention and legal advice on the ramifications of e-commerce.

- Foreign Investment

• Consultancy
• Advice on the legal aspects of Foreign Direct Investment in Sri Lanka
• Advice on Joint Ventures
• Sri Lanka Board of Investment (B.O.I.) Agreements

We advise foreign clients from the individual wishing to purchase or lease property or invest in Sri Lanka, to foreign corporations wishing to establish an enterprise in Sri Lanka. Where necessary, we negotiate with the relevant Board of Investment officials for approvals and identify incentives and benefits such as tax holidays available to the enterprise and take all necessary steps in connection with the incorporation of the local Company in accordance with B.O.I regulations.

- Intellectual Property (Industrial Property and Copyright) and IT

We handle the following:
• Applications for registration of trademarks, patents and industrial designs
• Renewals and recordals of assignments, changes of names and addresses
• License contracts
• Oppositions and contentious I.P. litigation
• Trademark searches
• Drafting I.P. related aspects of franchise and licensing agreements

- ICT and Broadcasting

We advise on the current Government policy towards foreign investment in the telecommunications sector, as well as the preparation of project proposals and applications for licenses to operate telecommunications systems and to provide telecommunications services. Where necessary, we negotiate with the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka and keep our clients informed of the rapidly changing legal and regulatory structures including the introduction of a convergence bill in the future.

- Legal Opinions and Due Diligence Reports

• Preparation of legal opinions
• Investigation of status of companies in connection with due diligence reports

- Service of Summons and Other Court Process

We undertake personal service of all manner of process issued by courts outside Sri Lanka on the party Defendant or Respondent.

Lawyers

	Dr. Prashanthi Mendis Consultant Civil Litigation, Commercial Law, Intellectual Property		Mrs. Menik Mendis Lawyer Litigation
	Miss A.R Kamini Senanayake Lawyer Civil Litigation, Commercial Law, Intellectual Property		Mr. Keerthi K. Weerasekera Lawyer Civil Litigation, Commercial Law, Intellectual Property
	Mr. John Wilson Lawyer Administrative Law, Agricultural Law, Animal Law, Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Appellate Practice

More Information on John Wilson Partners

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Company Law Firm in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Colombo, Sri Lanka Intellectual Property Lawyer