HIS COMPASSION AND KINDNESS KNEW NO BOUNDS

The Fifteenth Death Anniversary of Emil Joesph Ajantha Coorey, Senior Attorney at Law falls on 29th November 2016. On the morning of 29th November, 2001 he came to Hulftsdorp and having appeared in a case had gone home. In the same afternoon he glided away calmly and serenely.

His sudden death caused a shock and sadness to the members of his family and to all those who knew him. He hailed from a family of eminent legal professionals and was a son of late Mr. Austin Coorey, a Senior Attorney at Law and of late Mrs. Muriel Coorey.

His only brother Dr. Sunil Coorey is also a highly respected Senior Attorney at Law. Mr. Coorey was a distinguished product of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo 10. He pursued his studies in law whilst serving in the Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC and was successful in obtaining his Bachelors in Law Degree from the University of Colombo in 1974 and thereafter, followed in the footsteps of his father and joined the legal profession in 1977. He was privileged to serve in the Chambers of the late Mr. G. F. Sethukavalar, President’s Counsel. He gradually built up his practice and at the time of his demise he enjoyed an extensive practice in the original and appellate Courts and was a well recognized and sought after lawyer in the fields of Banking and Commercial Laws.

Several of the leading Commercial Banks in this country were his clients. Mr. Coorey’s services to the legal profession, and to the Bar Association was outstanding. For several years he served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and later served as an Assistant Secretary and was elected as its Secretary in 1993 after a keenly contested election. He was a member of the Council of Legal Education and the Secretary of the Colombo Law Library at the time of his demise. His contribution to the legal profession, Bar Association and to the society has showed that he was a man of great insight and exceptional ability.

Having done much for the Legal Profession and the Bar Association, he still had much more to offer. Mr. Coorey was a devoted Catholic. He practiced his religion with dedication and devotion. His deeply rooted Christianity was the strength and vigor of his life and this permeated every aspect of his life, professional, domestic and social.He was a skillful lawyer. Meticulous thoroughness in every thing he did was the key note of his success. He studied his briefs with meticulous care and espoused the cause of his client with devotion. He kept no stone unturned in his client’s interests and the time he spent on a case was never relevant to the fee he received. He never lost his temper.

He always won his battle with gentle mannerism and firm conviction. His compassion and kindness knew no bounds. Members of the profession and the judiciary always had the highest respect and regard for him. His qualities of honesty and fairness have won for him the trust and confidence of the bench. It is said that greatness is never measured by birth, wealth or fame, nor by the worth of one’s material possessions, but those in whose hearts you live. Mr. Coorey is a good example of this. Undoubtedly, his central and pivotal driving force had been his family. He was a loving husband to his wife Bernie and a devoted father to his children Shivan and Shaleeni. Notwithstanding his busy practice and the other related work, he always had time for his family.

Sacrifices he made towards his family have been immensely rewarded, as his Son Shivan, has followed the footsteps of his father’s field in the Legal Profession, and his Daughter Shaleeni, a Chartered Architect who holds a Doctorate in Architecture is a Senior Lecturer of the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Moratuwa. To the joy of the parents both of them are doing extremely well in their chosen professions. I had the rare privilege of serving in his Chambers for well over a period of eight years until the moment of his demise. The training and the experience I received under him had immensely benefitted me in my career as a lawyer.

I am ever grateful to him for the knowledge, experience, guidance and the training I received whilst working under him. Time will take away the edge of grief but memory turns back every page, every leaf, and I thank God that I have such wonderful memories of my senior. It is indeed a deep joy for me for knowing such a wonderful man. “Your great countenance, Your bubbling smile, Your love and affection are no more, But I know you are with the Angels In God’s loving embrace” Deep in our hearts he will always stay loved and remembered. May his gentle soul rest in the peace of the Lord whom he served faithfully. VARUNA SENADHIRA HIS COMPASSION AND KINDNESS