LEGISLATIVE DRAFTING/ Law Revision scroll down for areas of practice

Definition of Legislative Drafting and Drafter/Draftsperson

"Legislative Drafting is the skill of a Legislative Drafter who is a lawyer trained in the discipline of mastering the use of words and knowledge to effectively communicate policies and intentions into simple, clear and intelligible laws, and analysing the future to produce workable and realistic solutions which will develop society". 

"Legislative drafters are responsible for producing legislation which promotes democratic governance and gives effect to the rule of law."

"Poor and incomplete legislative drafting produces litigation and chaos and undermines the rule of law".

    Jamela A Ali, Attorney at Law LLM (Legislative Drafting), LLB(Hons)(UWI), MCIArb. For more quotes scrool below
 

Jamela A Ali obtained a Master of laws degree in Legislative Drafting which included the Public Law I and II courses of Constitutional Law and Administrative Law from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados. She is the Principal of the Jamela Ali Law Firm. For legal services, click on links here Oil & Gas, Mining Law & Agreements, Buying and Selling Properties, Formation of Companies, Money Claims, Trademarks & Patents, Probates of Wills and Administration, Divorces and Adoption of Children.

Writings on Legislative Drafting include

• REVIEW OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM PROCESS 2002 published in the Caribbean Law Review by the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados, 2003. This paper was delivered at the first law conference of the Guyana Bar Association (GBA).
  
  
• Guyana Chronicle newspaper of 21 November 2007 referred to the speech. click
  

• LEGISLATIVE DRAFTING PRINCIPLES lacking in Constitutional Reform 2000
  
  
• Guyana Election Law amendment 2000 - Consequences of poor legislative drafting
  
  
• PARLIAMENT: A DEMOCRACY OR A MOCKERY -2003 Legislative Drafting critique of Service Commissions, Terrorist, Deportee and Seat Belt Laws delivered at the second law conference of the GBA.

• THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENTARY COUNSEL AND LEGISLATIVE DRAFTING IN GUYANA: A Critique (22,327 words) LL.M. Research Paper 1997. Includes Statute Law Revision, Consolidation of Laws, Law Reform, Constitution, Natural Justice and Principles of Good Administration
  
  
• Guyana Law Revision - competent Law Revision Commission needed
  
  

Copyright © unless expressly stated otherwise. All rights reserved ®. Jamela A. Ali. Not to be published without written permission from the author.

Legislative Drafting quotes from Articles by
Jamela A Ali, Attorney at Law LLB(Hons)(UWI), LEC, LLM(Legislative Drafting), MCIArb.

"It is poor drafting and absence of clarity which encourages those who wish to undermine the rule of law."

"To draft cut and paste style is to go to sea without a compass, but to draft without civil litigation experience is not to go to sea at all."

"Draftspersons are not legal mechanics and it is their function to advise when recommendations are inappropriate for a Constitution. Erudition as opposed to compliance separates the proper draftspersons from the legal mechanics."

"In drafting legislation Parliamentary Counsel must always take account of the Constitution, the principles of good administration and modern legislative drafting ... and relevant case law with a view towards improving the quality of legislation."

 

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