A legal heritage spanning three generations
Thabrew Associates, Attorneys-at-Law & Notaries Public, is a Sri Lankan law firm founded on a family tradition of practice that reaches from the Bar to the Bench, spanning generations.
We act for foreign investors, companies and private clients on matters where the stakes are high and the detail matters. The firm is deliberately personal in scale: every matter is led by a partner, who remains your point of contact from first instruction to completion and reviews every opinion, pleading, agreement and deed before it leaves the firm.
The partners have litigation experience at every level of the court system, from the Primary Court to the Supreme Court, as well as before tribunals and statutory bodies.
Commercial, civil and criminal angles, considered together
When you invest in Sri Lanka, the commercial and civil terms are only part of the picture. The criminal exposure, and how the investment could be challenged or misused years later, matter just as much. We look at every investment and every dispute through all three lenses from the first meeting.
In an emerging market, risk often arrives through a forged deed, a misrepresented title, a partner who diverts funds, or a regulatory step that was missed. We advise on these at the start, when they are cheapest to prevent, and structure the transaction so that if something goes wrong later the client already has both civil and criminal remedies available.
Investments structured with the future in mind
Agreements, shareholdings and land transactions are drafted to anticipate fraud, breach of trust and disputes between partners, with clear evidence trails and protections built in from day one.
Due diligence beyond title
Land and transaction due diligence considers civil title risk and signs of fraud or forgery, so foreign investors and companies know the full exposure before they commit funds.
Faster recovery of money
Considering civil and criminal remedies together from the outset often brings a matter to repayment or settlement sooner than pursuing a single route.
Protecting assets and compensation
We act early to protect the client's position and keep more than one route to recovery open.
One partner coordinates the commercial, civil and criminal work, and each remedy is used only where the facts and the law genuinely support it.
What working with us means for you
A partner as your contact
You deal directly with a partner, not a chain of juniors. Calls and emails reach the person running your matter.
Partner oversight throughout
A partner is responsible for strategy, deadlines and the result at every stage.
Partner review before anything goes out
Every opinion, pleading, agreement and deed is checked by a partner before it is sent or filed.
Advice and execution in one place
Investment, litigation and notarial work sit within the same firm, so a matter involving land, approvals and a dispute need not be split between firms.
Areas of practice
Foreign direct investment
Structuring investment into Sri Lanka, from market entry to completion.
Public law and writs
Writ and fundamental rights applications challenging or defending decisions of public authorities.
Commercial agreements
Drafting, reviewing and negotiating the contracts that commercial relationships depend on.
Litigation
Litigation at every level, from the Primary Court to the Supreme Court, including tribunals.
Fraud and money recovery
Civil and criminal proceedings run in parallel to recover funds and hold wrongdoers to account.
Land due diligence and conveyancing
Title investigation, deeds and notarial execution, handled within the firm.
Family law
Divorce, custody and maintenance, handled with discretion.
How every matter begins
The first step is a consultation with one of our partners.
We review the facts and documents with you, explain your options, and set out the way forward before any work begins.