The legal business is constantly changing. New practice areas are created, renamed or merged. New laws are enacted or amended. Law firms are constantly reevaluating how they can best serve their clients. The law is a living, evolving entity that continues to adapt in response to society’s needs and changes in the economy. This process of adaption is known as “law new”.
The creation of new laws reflects the democratic principles of representation and accountability. Elected representatives debate and vote on legislation based on the needs and preferences of their constituents. The drafting of bills is a highly technical and time intensive undertaking. The creation of new laws requires the participation of many people, including legislative aides, staff of the executive branch and federal agencies.
Once a new policy idea is settled on, it must be drafted as a bill. Often, the ideas for a new law are brought to the attention of a senator by constituents, organizations or State officials. Once a senator has a policy idea, he or she will submit it to the Senate’s legislative drafting office for draftiing into bill form. Alternatively, the legislator may hire a private lawyer to draft a new law. Bills are then introduced into Congress. The new law is then subject to a number of different processes and changes as it moves through the various committees.
Eventually, the bill will be passed by Congress and sent to the President for approval. The President can sign the bill into law or reject it by vetoing it. The President has 10 days to either sign or veto the bill. A vetoed bill can only become law if it is overturned by two-thirds of the members in each chamber of Congress.
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