"Pursuing a Vision of Justice", a collection of 25 essays by judges, academics, historians, diplomats, colleagues, friends and family, was launched on 30 September 2022 in the Parliament House in Sydney. The book, edited by lawyer Senaka Weeraratna, narrates the extraordinary life and legal career of Maithri Panagoda.
Consisting of over 500 pages and more than 100 photographs, the book covers Maithri's life, growing up in Sri Lanka in the 1950's, his tertiary education at Ananda College and University of Ceylon, higher studies in England and move to Australia at the age of 31. There is a fascinating account of his early work in Dubbo for the Western Aboriginal Legal Service which laid the foundation for his historic legal advocacy for members of the Stolen Generations and families of Aboriginal deaths in custody.
Maithri's groundbreaking work in civil litigation after joining Carroll & O'Dea Lawyers, his legal scholarship, being awarded the Order of Australia and appointed an Adjunct Professor at the University of Notre Dame is well documented in this remarkable publication.
His Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales, Supreme Court Justice Dina Yehia SC and Carroll & O'Dea's former managing partner Michael O'Dea, KCSG, AM spoke at the launch.
To purchase a copy of the book, please click on this link.