Dr. K A A N Thilakarathna

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. K. A. A. N. Thilakarathna is a Lecturer attached to the Department of Public and International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo. He obtained his LL.B. (Hons) with Second Class Upper Division from the Faculty of Law in 2015. In 2020, he completed his LL.M. at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, graduating at the top of his batch. He subsequently pursued a Master of Sociology (M.Soc) at the University of Colombo, which he successfully completed in 2022.

Dr. Thilakarathna was awarded the Ph.D. in March 2025 for his thesis titled “The Role of Judicial Activism in the Domestication of International Human Rights Treaties: A Comparative Study.” His doctoral research critically examined how courts contribute to the internalization of international human rights obligations within domestic legal systems, with a comparative focus on selected jurisdictions. He is also an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka and has been engaged in both teaching and research in the fields of public law and international law.

At present, Dr. Thilakarathna is reading for a Master of Human Rights and Democratization at the Centre for the Study of Human Rights (CSHR), Faculty of Law, University of Colombo. His academic and professional interests include constitutional law, international human rights law, judicial activism, and the intersection of law and society.

Qualifications, Fellowships and Certifications

  • LL.B. (Hons) (Second Class Upper Division) 2015

    Bachelor of Laws

    University of Colombo

  • LL.M. (Merit) 2020

    Master of Laws (Batch Top)

    General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University

  • M.Soc 2022

    Master of Sociology

    University of Colombo

  • PhD 2025 March

    Doctor of Philosophy

    University of Colombo, Faculty of Law.

  • Masters Currently Reading

    Master of Human Rights and Democratization (Reading)

    University of Colombo

  • Certificate Course in Teaching in Higher Education 2020

    CTHE with SEDA Accreditation

    University of Colombo

  • Certificate in Making Teaching Effective 2016

    MaTE

    University of Colombo

  • National University of Singapore 2023

    Certificate Course in International Law (60 CPD)

    Online

  • WIPO-Certificate 2025 May

    WIPO-KIPO Training Course for Brand Strategy, Trademark Law and Examination

    Korea Seoul (Online)

  • 2018

    Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court

    Sri Lanka Law College

  • 2018

    Commissioner for Oaths

    Sri Lanka

  • 2019

    Notary Public

    Colombo District

  • 2019

    Registered Company Secretary

    Sri Lanka

Positions

  • Present2022

    Lecturer

    Department of Public and International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo.

  • Present2025

    Deputy Director- QA Cell Faculty of Law

    University of Colombo

  • 20242023

    Coordinator- Master of Laws in International Environment and Climate Change Laws

    Faculty of Law, University of Colombo.

  • 20252025

    Course Director in Law and Natural Resources -LL.M. in IECCL

    University of Colombo

  • Present2022

    Secretary- Curriculum Revision Committee

    Faculty of Law- University of Colombo

  • 20252023

    Departmental Coordinator- LL.M. Programme, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo.

    University of Colombo

  • 20242023

    Academic Coordinator- Higher Diploma in Human Rights Based Human Resource Management

    CSHR- Faculty of Law, University of Colombo.

  • 20242023

    Course Director in Criminal Justice- 2 Year LL.M. Programme

    University of Colombo

  • Present 2023

    Visiting Lecturer in Finance Law

    Sri Lanka Law College

  • 20242023

    Academic Warden- Kithyakara Hostel

  • Present2023

    Temporary Student Counsellor

    Faculty of Law, University of Colombo.

  • 20232023

    Member of the University SER Writing Team

  • 20222018

    Lecturer (Confirmed)

    Institute of Human Resource Advancement, University of Colombo.

  • 20172016

    Temporary Lecturer

    Department of Public and International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo.

  • 20222021

    Academic Coordinator- Bachelor of Labour Management Part 1

    Institute of Human Resource Advancement, University of Colombo.

  • 20212018

    Academic Coordinator- Bachelor of Labour Education Part 1

    Institute of Human Resource Advancement, University of Colombo.

  • 20202019

    Academic Coordinator- Certificate Course in Computer Applications

    Institute of Human Resource Advancement, University of Colombo.

  • 20212019

    Secretary- Board of Studies on Extension Programmes

    Institute of Human Resource Advancement, University of Colombo.

  • 20222019

    Member- Quality Assurance Cell

    Institute of Human Resource Advancement, University of Colombo.

  • Present 2019

    Examiner

    Sri Lanka Law College

  • Present 2021

    Examiner and Supervisor- LLM Programme

    University of Colombo

  • Present 2021

    Examiner- LLM Programme

    General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University

  • 20252025

    Examiner- LLB Programme

    Open University of Sri Lanka

  • Present 2021

    Examiner - LLB Programme

    General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University

  • Present 2021

    Examiner- Master of Human Rights

    Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Colombo.

  • Present 2022

    Visiting Lecturer- Diploma in Human Resource Management

    Faculty of Management and Finance

  • 20252024

    Executive Editor- Sri Lanka Journal of International Law Volume 30

    University of Colombo-Department of Public and International Law

  • Present 2021

    Manuscript Editor- KDU Law Journal

    General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University

  • Present2021

    Article Reviewer- Springer Nature

  • Present2021

    Article Reviewer- Current Urban Studies

  • Present2021

    Article Reviewer- Sri Lanka Journal of International Law

  • 20212021

    Track Chair- 2nd International Conference of the Institute of Human Resource Advancement

  • 20212021

    Article Reviewer- 14th International Research Conference of the KDU

  • 20232022

    Vice President- Alumni Association of the Faculty of Law

  • 20252022

    Reviewer-Colombo Journal of Multi-Disciplinary Research

    University of Colombo

  • 20252022

    Senior Editor- RIC Law Journal

  • 20222022

    Article Reviewer- 15th International Research Conference of the KDU

  • 20222022

    Co-Secretary of the Diamond Jubilee International Research Conference

  • 20252025

    Visiting Lecturer in Research Methodology- Postgraduate Diploma in Human Rights

    Faculty of Graduate Studies