Trust guide
What The Roll checks
The Roll reviews every listing before it's published, and sometimes checks a specific detail against an independent source. Each check covers only the detail it names, on the date shown. This guide explains what each one means, and what none of them mean.
The short version
Not a badge
There is no "verified lawyer" badge. The Roll states what it checked, and when.
One detail at a time
Enrollment details, the person who manages the profile, and individual qualifications are checked separately.
Not good standing
No check shows that a lawyer is currently entitled to practise or in good standing.
Review
Approval is a publishing decision
Two decisions our team makes are easy to mistake for checks of credentials. They aren't.
Approving a listing
Our team reads each new listing and each change before it's published, and decides whether to publish it. Approval doesn't check the lawyer's credentials.
Approving a claim
When a lawyer claims an existing profile, approving the claim links it to their account. It isn't, by itself, a public statement that the account holder is the lawyer.
Checks don't rank
Checked lawyers aren't placed higher, highlighted or filtered in the directory. A profile without checks hasn't failed one.
Checks by The Roll
Three kinds of check, each separate.
When at least one check is current, an approved profile shows a Checks by The Roll card under Listing details. Each line states exactly what was checked and on what date. A check of one thing never implies another.
Name, enrollment number and date
Match a record of enrollment as an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. Current for two years.
The person who manages the profile
The person who signs in to manage the profile is the lawyer named on it. Current for one year. Delegates such as clerks aren't checked.
One listed qualification
Matches the issuing body's records or an original certificate, and is marked Checked by The Roll in the list. Accreditations and memberships are current for one year.
How we check
Independent sources only
A check relies on a source that doesn't depend on the profile itself.
Accepted
Independent and original
- Confirmation from the Supreme Court Registry, or the original enrollment certificate.
- A photo identity document matched to the person, in person or by video, or contact through an independent official source.
- The issuing body's records, or the original certificate or membership document.
Not accepted on their own
Copies and the profile itself
- Photocopies and screenshots.
- Documents sent only by email.
- The contact details on the profile being checked.
Staying current
When a check stops showing
It expires
Each check is shown only for its period. After that it disappears until it is checked again.
The detail changes
If the profile's name, enrollment details or a checked qualification changes, or a different account takes over the profile, the related check stops showing.
A newer check replaces it
Only confirmed checks are ever shown. If a recheck can't confirm the detail, the earlier check is withdrawn rather than shown as a failure.
Evidence stays private
Sources, references, notes and who made the check never appear publicly. The Roll does not currently accept uploads of identity documents or certificates.
Common questions
Questions people ask
Does The Roll verify lawyers?
Not as a badge. Our team reviews listings before they're published, and may check specific details, such as enrollment, against independent sources. Each check is shown with the date and exactly what it covered.
Does a checked enrollment mean the lawyer can practise?
No. It shows that a matching record of enrollment exists. It doesn't show that the lawyer holds a current practising certificate, is in good standing or is free of disciplinary action.
Is a check an endorsement?
No. A check isn't an endorsement or recommendation by The Roll, nor a statement by the Supreme Court, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka or any issuing body.
Can I ask The Roll to check my profile?
You can write to us through the contact page. Checks are recorded only by our team; lawyers and firms can't add or change them.
Something looks wrong?
If a profile impersonates a lawyer or shouldn't be on The Roll, tell our team.