9/22/2016 Provide non-partisan legal services for 33 Senators and - - PDF document

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Office ce of Legal Services ces for the Tenne nessee Gene neral Assembly ly

NCSL Profe fess ssional al Development nt Semina nar Salt Lake City, y, UT 2016 6

 Provide non-partisan legal services for 33

Senators and 99 Representatives

• Drafting bills, amendments, resolutions, proclamations,

and attorney general request letters

• Drafting legal memoranda on various issues

 Staff 9 Senate Standing Committees and 14

House Standing Committees (along with 13 subcommittees) and Ad Hoc committees

 Provide staff for Tennessee Code Commission

 Permanent Staff:

• 18 Attorneys
• 6 Researchers
• 1 Legislative Librarian
• 6 Administrative Staff

 Session Staff:

• 1 Attorney
• 3 Researchers
• 3-4 Proofers

 Process: 3 Rounds of Interviews  Participants: 11 Attorneys (both Directors)

and 2 Administrative Assistants

 Experience:

• Review a mock bill in T.C.A. format
• Present in a legislative hearing room
• Analyze TN legal issue with on-the-spot

questions

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 Formal mentors (1-2)

• Staff committees that the new attorney will staff
• Lead group lunches to introduce additional staff
• Introduce new attorney to committee chairs
• Review the new attorney’s written work
• Answer new attorney’s questions
• Organize new attorney’s first month schedule

 Everyone is a mentor!  Read through various manuals: Drafting,

Mentorship, Procedures, Administrative

 Tour facilities  Watch NCSL webinars  Attend committees  Draft various legislative documents  Mentor/Mentee expectations  OLS duties, staff, procedures, and facilities  Other legislative offices  Overview of the legislative process in Tennessee  Interacting with various persons (members,

members’ staff, constituents, department liaisons, and lobbyists)

 Request procedures (intake, drafting, and review)  Types of requests  Committee management  Staffing floor sessions  Drafting/Grammar Manual Review  Confidentiality and Ethics in a Legislative Setting  TN Rules of Statutory Construction  Social Media in a Legislative Environment  TN Constitutional Law for Drafters  Lexis Advance Training  The Art of Committee Staffing: A Review of Basic

Procedures, Rules, and Practice Pointers

 The Art of Drafting Criminal Statutes  The Art of Drafting Licensure Statutes

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 Continuous feedback from mentors on written

work product

 Continuous resource for questions  Committee management training

Office ce of Legal Services ces for the Tenne nessee Gene neral Assembly ly

NCSL Profe fess ssional al Development nt Semina nar Salt Lake City, y, UT 2016 6