The Office of the Attorney General was honoured to host Mr. Graham Bruce Powell on 19th February 2026. Mr. Graham Bruce Powell, a distinguished senior legislative drafter and former Parliamentary Counsel of Samoa, who delivered a one-and-a-half-hour professional development session on the discipline and art of legal drafting.
Mr. Powell, whose drafting career spans several Pacific jurisdictions, returned to the Office in a spirit of collegiality and mentorship. Drawing on decades of experience, he provided practical insights and guidance into achieving clarity in legislative language, structuring provisions for coherence, and ensuring that laws remain accessible, enforceable, and fit for purpose. The session explored and covered key drafting principles, including:
- Writing with precision while maintaining plain language.
- Structuring legislation to support logical flow and clear interpretation.
- Anticipating legal and operational challenges during the drafting process; and
- Upholding consistency across statutes and subsidiary legislation.
Lawyers across the Office engaged actively in the discussion, reflecting the Office of the Attorney General’s strong commitment to continuous professional development and excellence in public law drafting.
The Attorney General expressed sincere appreciation to Mr. Graham Powell for his generosity and willingness to share his expertise, noting that engagements of this nature strengthen institutional capacity and uphold the high standards expected of the Government’s principal main legal advisers.
“The quality of our laws begins with the quality of our drafting. We are deeply grateful to Mr. Graham Powell for investing his knowledge in the next generation of government lawyers free of charge.”
The Office of the Attorney General remains committed to fostering professional growth and strengthening Samoa’s legal institutions through collaboration with experienced practitioners across the region.
This was a press release issued by the Office of the Attorney General, Government of Samoa, on 20 February 2026.
