Status of Legislative Drafting. The profession of Drafter

The article deals with the role of legislative drafter, his legal status, as well as rights and duties. In this context, it provides a review of origins of Polish law relating to State officials and, particularly, laws concerning employees of State offices and civil service, as well as implementing acts adopted on the basis thereof. The author also discusses the issue of separation of legislative drafting as a profession consisting in provision of legal assistance in the course of preparation and consideration of a legislative proposal. He presents an analysis based on the results of surveys conducted by him among scholars and legislative drafters working for government and parliamentary institutions as well as representatives of selected lawyers' professional corporations. Moreover, the article provides a review of the evolution of the status of legislative drafter in Poland and a brief overview of legal regulations existing in this area in the selected European states. Ethical dilemmas in the practice of legislative drafting are also discussed.