Serika’s essay among the top ten of Robert Walker Prize for Essays in Law

Seventeen-year-old Serika Siriwardhana’s essay titled “What is wrong with bribery? How, if at all, should the law deal with it?” was among the top ten High Commendation category of the Robert Walker Prize for Essays in Law, an international Essay Competition hosted by Trinity College, Cambridge.

Launched in 2013, the Robert Walker Prize for Essays in Law is named after an Honorary Fellow of the College, Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court and former law student at Trinity. Among the main objectives of the Robert Walker Prize are to encourage students with an interest in Law to explore that interest by researching, considering and developing an argument about a legal topic of importance to modern society and to recognise the achievements of high-calibre students, from whatever background they may come.

A student at Elizabeth Moir School in Colombo, Serika, who is keen to do her higher studies in law, is already a part-time intern at chambers of a leading President’s Counsel.

At a time when teenagers like Greta Thunberg, internationally renowned Swedish environmental activist who is influencing global leaders and fighting against effects climate change, Daily Mirror in its coming weeks will make room for writings of Serika, a 17-year- old’s thoughts on human rights, legal issues and global affairs that are directly topical to Sri Lanka. Following is her essay which topped Robert Walker Prize for Essays in Law-2019.