Course Overview
"A good piece of legislation, is like a good sentence; or a good piece of music. Everybody can recognise it. They say, 'Huh. It works. It makes sense'" - Barack Obama
The legislative drafter is tasked with transforming government policy into written law, but also to ensure that legislation is clearly understandable to those affected by it. Achieving both can be challenging as government policy often involves complex issues that are difficult to convey in everyday language.
Consistency is key in all aspects of drafting, including use of vocabulary, structure, language and style, and building sentences. This highly interactive course recognises these challenges and equips participants with a range of recognised drafting tools used to create well written legislation.
Participants will also be able to implement the course's learning through practical drafting exercises. The course chair will evaluate these exercises and provide detailed feedback at the end of the week.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course the delegates will be able to:
- Draft legislation clearly and concisely
- Better understand the principles of legislative drafting
- Utilise plain language
- Make laws more readable to those affected by them
- Amend outdated legislation
- Recognise common drafting mistakes and how to avoid them
Agenda
Day 1
Chair’s look ahead to the week
Delegates’ introductions, objectives and organisational challenges
Delegates’ introductions, objectives and organisational challenges
Origins of Law
Types of legislation
The Constitution
Key legal principles
Types of legislation
The Constitution
Key legal principles
Institutions of governments
The function of Legislatures
Westminster model and the presidential system
Scrutiny of Legislation
The function of Legislatures
Westminster model and the presidential system
Scrutiny of Legislation
The role of the draftsman
The key skills of the draftsman
Key drafting questions
Terminology
The key skills of the draftsman
Key drafting questions
Terminology
Sources of policy
How a bill becomes law
Stakeholders involved in the legislative process
How a bill becomes law
Stakeholders involved in the legislative process
Day 2
Translating concepts into clear legislation
Building effective legal relations
Understanding your audience
Building effective legal relations
Understanding your audience
Starting points
Getting the message across
Clarity v accuracy
Getting the message across
Clarity v accuracy
Types of legislative tools
Technology and legislation
Linguistic Devices
Technology and legislation
Linguistic Devices
Are short sentences the answer?
Gender neutrality
Positive v negative / Active v passive
Using effective language
Gender neutrality
Positive v negative / Active v passive
Using effective language
Day 3
Types of amendments
Turning Bills into legislative amendments
Constitutional amendment
Turning Bills into legislative amendments
Constitutional amendment
Day 4
Building the basic structure of legislation
Types of structure
Types of structure
Day 5
Why do some laws fail?
Enforcing and compliance
Alternatives to law making
Enforcing and compliance
Alternatives to law making
Structuring a written piece of work for assessment – Generic overview and principles
Structuring these two specific pieces of work to demonstrate all the assessment criteria
Structuring these two specific pieces of work to demonstrate all the assessment criteria
Course recap and discussion
Evaluation forms
Certificate presentation and group photograph
Evaluation forms
Certificate presentation and group photograph
Accredited by
International Centre for Parliamentary Studies is accredited by Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges and Universities (ASIC) which is an independent body providing accreditation services for independent, further and higher education colleges. The Institution has earned Premier status with ASIC for its commendable areas of operation.
ASIC accreditation helps students and parents make a more informed choice and will also help a school, college, university, training provider or distance education provider, demonstrate to the international student body that they are a high quality institution.
What Learners Say
Attorney General`s Ministry, Belize
“ The course was very enjoyable and very well delivered. As a trained legislative drafter of over 19 years, the main aim was as a refresher as well as learning modern techniques, use of jargon and how this has changed over the years. The course delivered on my objectives. “