The Law Office of Bhashini Weerasinghe is a general civil practice, with a focus on estate planning, assisting small businesses, and premarital agreements (prenups). Bhashini is an experienced attorney who has received a number of recognitions for her work including Rising Star by Super Lawyers for the last five years, Best of Bar from the San Diego Business Journal in 2015 and 2017, and Top Attorney in Estate Planning by San Diego Daily Transcript in 2014. To read a full list of all her awards, please visit her website: https://bhashinilaw.com/awards-and-community-involvement/.
Bhashini Weerasinghe was born in Sri Lanka and grew up in Los Angeles. She attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and she earned her Juris Doctorate at New England School of Law, in Boston, Massachusetts.
Prior to starting her own practice, she served as a staff attorney for the HIV/AIDS Legal Services Project at San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program. During her tenure with SDVLP, she provided legal assistance to terminally ill clients with a wide variety of civil legal matters such as debt relief, landlord-tenant, estate planning, and administrative appeals for government benefits. She oversaw a caseload of over 150 active on-going cases at any given time, and provide services throughout San Diego County through monthly and weekly legal clinics.
Bhashini has always been dedicated to giving back to her community through volunteer work. She has successfully handled a political asylum case for Casa Cornelia Law Center, where she made multiple appearances before the United States Immigration Court. She is currently a volunteer attorney with the Community Law Project at California Western School of Law. In 2018, she was awarded the Judge Judy Keep Award, which is given each year to a Community Law Project volunteer who has demonstrated dedication, commitment, and compassion in the furtherance of justice, equality, and community empowerment.
Bhashini is also the Director of the SDCBA-ACC Diversity Fellowship Program, which places diverse first year and part-time second-year law students from ABA-accredited law schools with prominent employers in San Diego for an 8-10 week fellowship during the Summer. In this role, she works with local law schools, law students from around the country, employers from around the San Diego community, as well as volunteer attorneys from around the county. Her deep commitment to increasing diversity is reflected in a number of leadership positions she has held including serving four years on the board of directors for Women of Color in Law, Inc. and two years as Committee Co-Chair of Lawyers Club's Diverse Women's Committee as well as three years on the board of Lawyers Club. In 2019, she received the Service to Diversity Award from San Diego County Bar Association, which recognizes outstanding service by a member of the legal profession over a substantial period of time in promoting and encouraging diversity within the legal profession or the legal community.
While in law school, she volunteered at the Van Nuys District Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles County where she worked closely with a Deputy District Attorney who tried major felonies including elder and child abuse cases that resulted in serious bodily harm and/or death. She also participated in a public interest clinic, where she worked with a non-profit organization to represent indigent clients in administrative hearings for unemployment benefits. Additionally, she participated in a tax clinic, where she worked closely with two Commissioners at the Appellate Tax Board in Boston and wrote bench memorandums for pending cases.
Bhashini strives to better her community through volunteer work and her practice by bettering the lives of each of her clients through sound legal advice and effective resolutions to legal issues.
Practice areas
Provide a full range of services from reviewing and amending existing documents to drafting and advising on the power of attorney forms, advance health care directives, wills, and trusts.
10 years
Setting up businesses (LLCs, LLPs, S-corps, APCs, and more), operating agreements, partnership agreements, and regulatory compliance.
7 years
Review and advise on existing agreements, assist with amending and negotiating terms, and drafting new agreements.
7 years
Draft, review, and advice on prenups in CA.
7 years
Languages spoken
English
State | Status | Acquired | Updated |
---|---|---|---|
CA | Active | 2010 | 10/28/2020 |
Legal answers | 6 |
Legal guides | 0 |
Award name | Grantor | Date granted |
---|---|---|
Rising Star | Super Lawyers | 2020 |
Service to Diversity Award | San Diego County Bar Association | 2020 |
Rising Star | Super Lawyers | 2019 |
Rising Star | Super Lawyers | 2018 |
Judge Judy Keep Award | Community Law Project at California Western School of Law | 2018 |
Rising Star | Super Lawyers | 2017 |
---|---|---|
Best of the Bar | San Diego Business Journal | 2017 |
Rising Star | Super Lawyers | 2016 |
Rising Star | Super Lawyers | 2015 |
Best of the Bar | San Diego Business Journal | 2015 |
Top Attorney in Estate Planning | San Diego Daily Transcript | 2014 |
Nominated as one of the Outstanding Young Attorneys | San Diego Daily Transcript | 2013 |
Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services | State Bar of California | 2011 |
Distinguish Service Award | San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program | 2011 |
Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services | State Bar of California | 2010 |
Distinguish Service Award | San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program | 2010 |
Title | Company name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Owner and Attorney at Law | Law Office of Bhashini Weerasinghe | 2013 - Present |
Staff Attorney | San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program | 2011 - 2013 |
Association name | Position name | Duration |
---|---|---|
San Diego County Bar Association | Member | 2010 - Present |
Greater San Diego Business Association | Member | 2014 - 2015 |
Lawyers Club of San Diego | Board of Directors | 2013 - 2016 |
Women of Color in the Law | Board of Directors | 2012 - 2016 |
HIV Health Planning Council, San Diego County | Member | 2012 - 2014 |
Publication name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
NLD For The Record | Networking with Purpose! | 2014 |
NLD For the Record | Estate Planning for New Parents | 2014 |
School name | Degree | Graduated |
---|---|---|
New England School of Law | JD - Juris Doctor | 2009 |
University of California - Berkeley | BA - Bachelor of Arts | 2004 |
Conference name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
Access to Law Initiative | Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) | 2014 |
Posted by Geoffrey
Thu Jan 07 2021
Posted by Shreyasi
Tue Jan 05 2021
Michael Leonard, Immigration Attorney on Oct 14, 2016
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
Ms. Weerasinghe practices estate planning, business law, and immigration. She is confident, hard-working, and works hard to bring the best results to her clients. She dedicates herself to making sure her clients are satisfied and well-represented.
Rosanna Kendrick, Health care Attorney on May 24, 2013
Relationship: Co-worker
Bhashini is very involved in the legal community and is a great advocate for her clients. She has a great attitude and is very personable.
I endorse this lawyer.