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Case studies: A day in the life of a Departmental lawyer

Two of our lawyers describe a typical working day.

Navroza Ladha, a lawyer in the Discrimination Law Division, tells us about a typical day

I am asked to attend a briefing meeting with the Minister dealing with equality issues. She will be attending a seminar on harassment and discrimination law.

A cross-section of key stakeholders, including legal experts in this area, various lobby groups and other Government departments, will discuss some of the issues that are being considered as part of a review of discrimination laws in Great Britain. Consulting stakeholders is a key part of the policy making process.

A formal consultation will take place following the publication of the Green Paper, which my colleagues and I will need to check for legal accuracy. This is expected to lead to the introduction in Parliament of a Single Equality Bill and in due course I will need to instruct Parliamentary Counsel to convert the policy proposals into law.

If the Bill becomes an Act, I may also have to draft secondary legislation to implement the Act. It is a fascinating and extremely rewarding experience to be involved in the law-making process in this way. Lawyers can play a significant role in this process.

I begin the morning by re-reading the briefing material, which I had commented on the previous day. Checking Ministerial submissions and briefing material for legal accuracy is a key part of my work.

In the afternoon, I attend the briefing meeting. The Minister has read the briefing material and asks general policy questions, which my policy colleagues answer, and asks questions relating to the law in this area, which I answer.

David Pattison is a lawyer in the Local Government Legal Division

I start the day by advising Ministers on a legal challenge being made by a local authority to the award of funding for local authority housing. The claim is at an early stage and it is important that Ministers are made aware of the prospects of the authority being successful.

At 11am I attend a meeting with the Local Government Minister together with the relevant policy officials. The meeting has been arranged to discuss certain clauses in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill in advance of a sitting of the relevant Public Bill Committee in the afternoon.

We discuss the specific clauses and a number of amendments that have been tabled. In particular we agree the lines to take in answer to points likely to be raised in committee. We spend much of the meeting discussing one particular issue where the Minister has strong views. I explain the effect of previous case law on the issue and the Minister decides to make slightly different changes.

Following the meeting, my clients amend the lines to take, included in the Minister's speaking notes, for the committee sitting in the afternoon and send these to me for my comments. I make some suggestions and the notes are then agreed with the Minister.

The committee sits at the House of Commons at 3pm. During the hearing my clauses are debated and some input is needed from me, following questions by several MPs.  I provide this to the Minister by passing him a written note. The Minister then uses some of my advice in his answers.

When I get back to the office I check my emails.  I see I have received some comments on a set of regulations that I drafted and have been recently been sent out for public consultation. Before going home I provide some initial thoughts on the comments to the policy officials responsible for the regulations.