The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is the Bar Association in Sri Lanka, established in 1974. The institute amalgamated the Bar Council of Sri Lanka which represented the Advocates and Law Society of Sri Lanka which represented the Proctors, following which both branches were merged into a group of practitioners called Attorneys-At-Law under the Justice Law No. 44 of 1973 . Membership is optional for any Attorney-at-law. Traditionally the President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka is considered the head of the unofficial bar.