Dates:

• 1 - 5 September 2025 - London (£2,850)

Course Outline

The production of sound legislation depends on the input from both policy makers and drafters alike. Poor quality legislation that does not ultimately produce the intended result is a costly mistake for Governments. This programme aims to give an overview of the analytical skills required to test the policy and effectively convert it into legislation. This is a vital skill for drafters but the course is equally valuable for policy makers who want to understand why legislation is constructed and written as it is. A greater understanding of the role and expectations from both sides of the law-making process provides valuable insight for future working relations.

The programme therefore approaches the subject from the stance of both policy maker and drafter. If a policy needs the backing of the law, the policy maker needs to understand how the drafter goes about their task and what they need by way of instructions to complete it. The drafter needs to produce legislation that is not only readily understandable by those that are expected to comply with and administer it but is also workable in practice and capable of being effectively enforced.

Course Objectives

This programme is designed to:

• Explain what the drafters need from policy makers in order to draft legislation effectively.
• Provide an overview of the processes involved in analysing policy from the drafter’s perspective.
• Help both policy makers and drafters work more effectively together.

Key topics

Through a combination of interactive presentations and practical exercises, the workshop will:

• Introduce the stages of the legislative process.
• Explain how to analyse policy for the purposes of drafting legislation.
• Learn what makes good drafting instructions.
• Consider when legislation has failed and why.
• Consider some common legislative solutions.
• Improve understanding of the principles of effective legislative expression.
• Demonstrate the importance of avoiding jargon and using plain English in drafting legislation.