Drafting Process
- Law
- 700 level
- 3 credit units
- 82 pages
- 11 units
This course introduces the procedures followed in preparing legislation and the law-making process. It emphasizes the stages Legislative Counsel are concerned with, focusing on obtaining instructions from clients. The course analyzes the formulation of legislative proposals, the roles of administrators and Legislative Counsel, and the importance of instructions. Students will learn to analyze instructions and determine when further information is needed.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 45 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Attachment
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of LED703, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
LED703 · UNIT 1 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS / STAGES IN THE PREPARATION OF LEGISLATION
This Unit is less concerned with writing skills than in others. You will be considering institutional arrangements, rather than the form and content of legislative texts and to an extent how to respond to the demands those arrangements make on the drafter.
What you should be able to do
- Discuss the steps by which legislative proposals are formulated and translated into legal provisions.
- Analyze the functions of administrators and Legislative Counsel in the preparation of Bills.
- Evaluate the value and functions of instructions in preparing legislation.
- Undertake an analysis of simple instructions and determine when further instructions may be needed.
- Explain how a drafter receives and responds to instructions.
What it prepares you for
- Legislative Drafter
- Legal Advisor
- Policy Analyst
- Government
- Law Reform
- Legal Practice
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 3:
Unit 2: Scrutinizing the Draft
Requires understanding of legal compliance checks, operational features, and secondary legislation considerations.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 41 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1MODULE 1
Unit 1: General considerations / Stages in the preparation of legislation · 3 hours
Read the course guide to understand the course objectives, materials, and assessment methods.. Familiarize yourself with the stages in the preparation of legislation..
- Week 2MODULE 1
Unit 2: How is drafting undertaken? · 3 hours
Explore the roles of policy evaluation and appraisal in legislative drafting.. Understand the importance of consultation with other ministries and external bodies..
- Week 3MODULE 1
Unit 3: Initiating Legislation · 3 hours
Understand the importance of allocating a place in the legislative programme.. Learn how government approval is given to the policy of a Bill..
- Week 4MODULE 2
Unit 4: Instructing the Drafter · 3 hours
Understand the roles instructions are intended to play in legislative drafting.. Explore the relationship between the drafter and client on policy matters..
- Week 5MODULE 2
Unit 5: Designing the Plan · 3 hours
Learn the main steps at the drafting stage, including devising the legislative scheme.. Understand the function and benefits of a legislative plan..
- Week 6MODULE 2
Unit 3: Function of a Legislative Plan · 3 hours
Understand the benefits from a legislative drafting.. Learn if a legislative plan should be a subject of consultation..
- Week 7Module 3:
Unit 1: Composing the Text · 3 hours
Understand what goes into the first draft and subsequent drafts.. Learn when consultation should be held in relation to drafts..
- Week 8Module 3:
Unit 2: Scrutinizing the Draft · 3 hours
Understand what to look for when scrutinizing a draft.. Learn the checklist on substantive scrutiny and textual scrutiny..
- Week 9Module 3:
Unit 3: Validating the Draft · 3 hours
Familiarize yourself with the steps in validating the draft in legislative drafting.. Explain the way subsidiary legislation differs..
- Week 10Module 3:
Unit 4: Getting Instructions · 3 hours
Understand in what form should instructions be given.. Learn why instructions should not take the form of a Bill..
- Week 11Module 3:
Unit 5: Analysing Instructions · 3 hours
Learn what should we be looking for when analyzing instructions.. Understand questions we might ask ourselves so as to understand instructions..
- Week 12Revision
Revision · 4 hours
Revise all modules and units.. Review Tutor Marked Assignments (TMAs) and self-assessment exercises..
- Week 13Examination
Examination Preparation · 4 hours
Focus on key concepts and areas where you need more clarification.. Practice answering sample questions..
Preparing for the exam
- Review the stages in the preparation of legislation (Unit 1) and create a flowchart to visualize the process.
- Practice analyzing legislative instructions (Unit 5) by summarizing key policy objectives and identifying areas needing clarification.
- Study the checklists for substantive and textual scrutiny (Unit 2) and apply them to sample legislative drafts.
- Focus on understanding the roles of different actors (Legislative Counsel, administrators) in the legislative process.
- Review the key questions that instructions should answer (Unit 4) and prepare responses for hypothetical scenarios.
Questions students ask about this course
What is LED703 about?
This course introduces the procedures followed in preparing legislation and the law-making process. It emphasizes the stages Legislative Counsel are concerned with, focusing on obtaining instructions from clients. The course analyzes the formulation of legislative proposals, the roles of administrators and Legislative Counsel, and the importance of instructions. Students will learn to analyze instructions and determine when further information is needed.
How many units does LED703 have?
LED703, Drafting Process, has 11 units across 3 modules, over 82 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is LED703?
LED703 carries 3 credit units, at 700 level in Law.
Is LED703 hard?
LED703 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical work.
How long does LED703 take to study?
About 45 hours of study, spread across its 11 units.
How is LED703 assessed?
LED703 is assessed by assignments, attachment and final examination.
What can I do with LED703?
Legislative Drafter, Legal Advisor and Policy Analyst.