Mohan Peiris facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mohan Peiris PC
මොහාන් පීරිස්
De facto Chief Justice of Sri Lanka
In office 15 January 2013 – 28 January 2015
Appointed by	Mahinda Rajapaksa
Preceded by	Shirani Bandaranayake
Succeeded by	Shirani Bandaranayake
41st Attorney General of Sri Lanka
In office 2008–2011
Appointed by	Mahinda Rajapaksa
Preceded by	C. R. De Silva
Succeeded by	Shanthi Eva Wanasundera
Personal details
Spouse	Priyanthi Peiris
Children	Talia Peiris
Alma mater	St. Joseph's College, Colombo Royal College Colombo Sri Lanka Law College
Profession	Attorney-at-law

Peter Mohan Maithree Peiris is a well-known Sri Lankan lawyer and diplomat. He holds the title of PC, which means he is a very senior and respected lawyer. From 2008 to 2011, he served as the Attorney General of Sri Lanka, which is the chief legal advisor to the government. Later, he became the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka from 2013 to 2015. This is the highest judge in the country. However, his appointment as Chief Justice was later declared invalid. Since January 2021, he has been Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, representing his country at the UN. In June 2023, he was chosen as the Vice President of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Education and Early Career

Mohan Peiris went to school at St. Joseph's College, Colombo and Royal College, Colombo. He enjoyed playing cricket for both schools. After finishing school, he studied law at the Sri Lanka Law College. He officially became a lawyer in Sri Lanka on June 19, 1975. A few years later, in 1978, he also became a Solicitor in England and Wales. This allowed him to practice law in those countries too. He started his legal work by training with experienced lawyers.

Legal Work in Government

In 1981, Mohan Peiris joined the Attorney General's Department. This is where government lawyers work. He started as a state counsel and later became a senior state counsel. During this time, he received special training in law from famous places like Harvard Law School and Jesus College, Cambridge. He left the Attorney General's Department in 1996.

Private Legal Practice

After leaving the government, Mohan Peiris started his own private law practice. This is called joining the "unofficial bar." He worked on many different types of cases. These included cases about government rules, business agreements, land ownership, and people's basic rights.

Becoming Attorney General

On December 18, 2008, Mohan Peiris was appointed as the Attorney General of Sri Lanka. In this role, he was the main legal advisor to the government. He represented Sri Lanka in important international meetings. For example, in 2011, he spoke at The UN Committee Against Torture. He provided information about a missing cartoonist during this meeting.

Serving as Chief Justice

Mohan Peiris was chosen to be the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He was sworn in on January 15, 2013. This is a very important position, as the Chief Justice is the head of the country's court system. His official inauguration ceremony took place on January 23, 2013.

However, his appointment caused some discussion. Some people felt that his appointment was not fully fair. When a new president, Maithripala Sirisena, was elected in 2015, he did not take his oath of office in front of Mohan Peiris. Instead, he took it in front of another senior judge. On January 28, 2015, the government announced that Mohan Peiris's appointment as Chief Justice was not valid from the very beginning. This meant that the previous Chief Justice, Shirani Bandaranayake, was able to return to her position.

Later Work at the United Nations

In January 2021, Mohan Peiris was appointed as the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations. This means he represents Sri Lanka at the UN. In 2022, he became the head of the UN General Assembly's First Committee, which deals with disarmament and international security. In June 2023, he was elected as the Vice President of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Family Life

Mohan Peiris is married to Priyanthi Peiris, who is also a lawyer. They had a daughter named Talia, who sadly passed away in 2002. Mohan Peiris is a Roman Catholic. He attends church at All Saints’ Church in Borella.

See also

• Sri Lankan Non Career Diplomats