Nilmini Ferdinandez
Sri Lanka

Nilmini Ferdinandez began her legal career after earning First Class Honours at Sri Lanka Law College in 1996 and was appointed as a Magistrate in 2002. In 2006, she became a District Judge, and over the years has presided over a wide range of civil and criminal matters across Sri Lanka. From 2019 to 2024, she served as a Resident Magistrate in Fiji, where she handled cases involving domestic violence, child protection, and gender-based offences. A British Chevening Scholar, she holds an LLM in Human Rights from Queen Mary University of London. Nilmini has contributed to judicial education through her work with the Judges’ Institute of Sri Lanka and has authored academic work on children’s rights, LGBT issues, and transitional justice. She is passionate about improving access to justice and advancing judicial wellbeing. Currently serving as the District Judge of Gampaha, Nilmini remains committed to fostering a compassionate and inclusive justice system.