Postgraduate Diploma in Legislative Drafting
Programme Announcement: Course commences in April (please apply early)
AIM of the course
The Legislative Drafting course is intended to equip lawyers with practical skills and knowledge required for drafting legislation and rendering quality legal advice. It is directed to achieve an intelligible and confident style of drafting legislation to support the emergence of free market economies and democratic forms of governance. The course emphasis is on the individual development of practical skills. It is centred on practical exercises and gives the participants the opportunity to apply the techniques and know-how of legislative preparation, which they acquire in class. Exercises are followed up in individual and joint tutorials, and class critiques given at the Ministry of Legal Affairs.
The training is conducted by means of lectures and drafting in live files a the Ministry of Legal Affairs. All class work is assessed and counts towards the student’s final mark. Visits to Parliament are also undertaken regularly.
Lecturers
The main lecturers are persons of high academic qualifications and recognized legislative drafting experience. Such as drawn from the ranks of eminent legislative drafters, academia, legislators, lobbyists, and professionals in relevant fields of study.
Additionally a number of lectures are conducted by visiting speakers who bring firsthand experience of matters and features of the legislative drafting processes that are of special concern to the legislative drafter. Internal visiting lecturers are also drawn from regional and national institutions.
Target Group
The course is intended for lawyers who are members of the legislative drafting teams within their country’s administration or legislative department. It is particularly designed for lawyers from countries where the English Common Law is the underlying legal system of law. It is also open to lawyers who wish to gain a practical understanding of common law approaches for the preparation of Legislation, and those who wish to enhance their professional capacity for rendering legal advice.
Entry Qualifications
Applicants must have a Law Degree from any recognized university and must have been admitted to practice as an Advocate/Barrister. The applicant must also have at least three years post-qualifying experience. Persons not admitted to practice as Advocates/Barristers but who have five years post qualifying experience are also considered for admission.
What is taught?
The core subject taught is legislative drafting with four support subject.
1. Legislative Drafting
• Legislative drafting and drafting methods
• Legislative systems
• Context of legislation
• Law revision, reform, consolidation and domestication of international law
2. Administrative Law
• General Principles
• Local Government Law
• Decentralization
3. Comparative Constitutional Law
• General Principles
• Development and Drafting of Constitutions
• Constitutionalism
4. Law in Development
• General Principles
• Topics of Current Development Value e.g. Environmental Law, Revenue, etc.
5. Research Methodologies and Computer Applications
• Introduction to computers and their use
• Research methods
Attendance and Attachment
Attendance at both lectures and practical is compulsory for all students. It is the basis upon which performance is assessed and is the key to successful completion of the programme.
Participants will be attached to the Department of Legislative Drafting in the Ministry of Legal Affairs for the entire period of study.
Lectures commence at 09:00 and end at 13:00 when participants break for lunch and regroup at 14:30 for their attachment at the Ministry of Legal Affairs.
Duration of Study
The legislative drafting course covers a period of five months and is held once a year. Current fees are as follow:
US$8,500
Course Fees
Please note: Fees are exclusive of transport costs and a non-refundable fee of US$100 is charged for registration.
