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Temporary Legislative Drafting Jobs in Reston, VA

Congressional Fellow

Washington, DC · On-site

$55K - $75K/yr

This is a temporary one-year fellowship. Qualified fellows will be placed with a Congressional ... Provide insights and quality written products pertaining to ongoing legislative, regulatory, and ...

Temporary Legislative Drafting information

See Reston, VA salary details

$31.2K

$66.8K

$125.9K

How much do temporary legislative drafting jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for temporary legislative drafting in Reston, VA is $66,774.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $45,800.00 and $74,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the typical challenges faced by professionals in a Temporary Legislative Drafting role, and how can they be managed effectively?

Professionals in Temporary Legislative Drafting often face tight deadlines and the need to quickly understand complex legal or policy issues. Adapting swiftly to different legislative styles and protocols within various governmental or organizational contexts can be challenging. Effective time management, strong research skills, and the ability to communicate clearly with stakeholders are essential to succeed. Building rapport with permanent legal staff and utilizing available resources can also help overcome these challenges and ensure high-quality draft legislation.

What is temporary legislative drafting?

Temporary legislative drafting involves the short-term employment of professionals who specialize in writing, reviewing, and revising proposed laws and legislative documents. These positions are often filled during busy legislative sessions or when specific expertise is needed for particular bills. Temporary legislative drafters work closely with lawmakers, legal teams, and policy advisors to ensure that legislative language is clear, precise, and legally sound. Their contribution is crucial in transforming policy ideas into formal legislation that can be debated and enacted.

What is the difference between Temporary Legislative Drafting vs Temporary Legal Drafting?

AspectTemporary Legislative DraftingTemporary Legal Drafting
CredentialsLegal education, law degree, possibly legislative drafting certificationsLegal education, law degree, legal drafting certifications
Work EnvironmentGovernment agencies, legislative bodies, policy organizationsLaw firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies
Industry UsageLegislative process, policy developmentLegal documentation, contracts, compliance
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding legislative drafting roles, government jobsLegal document creation, contract drafting roles

Temporary Legislative Drafting involves creating laws and policies within government or legislative settings, focusing on legal language specific to statutes. Temporary Legal Drafting covers a broader range of legal documents like contracts and legal memos, often in private or corporate sectors. While both roles require legal education and similar certifications, their work environments and primary focus differ significantly.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Temporary Legislative Drafter, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Temporary Legislative Drafter, you need a strong background in legal research, statutory interpretation, and excellent written communication, often supported by a law degree or relevant legal training. Familiarity with legislative drafting software, legal databases, and document management systems is typically required. Attention to detail, analytical thinking, and the ability to work under tight deadlines are critical soft skills for this role. These competencies are essential to produce precise, legally sound legislative language that meets policy objectives and withstands scrutiny.
What are popular job titles related to Temporary Legislative Drafting jobs in Reston, VA? For Temporary Legislative Drafting jobs in Reston, VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Temporary Legislative Drafting jobs in Reston, VA look for? The top searched job categories for Temporary Legislative Drafting jobs in Reston, VA are:
What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Temporary Legislative Drafting jobs? Cities near Reston, VA with the most Temporary Legislative Drafting job openings:
Public Policy Assistant (Part-time/Temporary)

Public Policy Assistant (Part-time/Temporary)

Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP

Washington, DC

$20/hr

Part-time

Re-posted yesterday


Job description

With eleven offices across the United States, 500+ professionals and 350+ business professionals, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP (www.manatt.com), is a multidisciplinary, integrated national professional services firm known for quality and an extraordinary commitment to clients. The Firm's groundbreaking approach-bringing together legal services, advocacy and business strategy-differentiates Manatt from its competitors and positions the Firm to provide a distinct and compelling value proposition.

During their time at the Firm, the Public Policy Assistant can expect to support the Government Advocacy & Contracting Group by conducting research, attending and preparing written summaries of congressional and executive branch agency hearings, drafting memoranda, and preparing white papers and presentations for clientfacing meetings. The role will also provide general administrative and project coordination support as needed.

The Public Policy Assistant will participate in regular meetings with senior members of the firm to gain insights into their practice areas, professional backgrounds, and industry experience. Strong analytical and criticalthinking abilities, exceptional attention to detail, and superior writing skills are essential for success in this role. A practical understanding of executive and legislative branch processes will further enhance the assistant's effectiveness and overall experience. This is a temporary, part time role geared toward current undergraduate students.

Responsibilities:

  • Conduct substantive issue research and monitor congressional and executive branch agency activity, including attending and compiling detailed notes for relevant hearings.

  • Draft memoranda, white papers, and presentations for clientfacing meetings and internal briefings.

  • Research, draft, and distribute comprehensive monthly reports detailing legislative, regulatory, and policy developments relevant to clients (Monthly and/or Weekly).

  • Produce concise Week Ahead reports summarizing upcoming legislative hearings, meetings, and policy events, and prepare Week Recap documents highlighting significant activities and policy changes from the previous week (Weekly).

  • Create and curate a weekly Federal Grants Newsletter identifying and summarizing relevant federal grant opportunities, application deadlines, and funding trends aligned with organizational goals (Weekly).

  • Maintain and update an Appropriations/Earmarks Tracker to monitor the status, progress, and funding levels of key appropriations bills and budgetary items, with weekly updates during the appropriations request period.

  • Document and summarize advocacy wins, legislative achievements, and successful engagements by the government affairs team for internal and external communications (Ongoing/Regular updates).

  • Track scheduling and logistics for client fly-ins, including drafting scheduling documents, briefing materials, and providing logistics support as needed.

  • Draft and edit various materials, such as talking points, briefing memos, presentations, press releases, and correspondence for senior staff (As needed).

Qualifications

  • Strong analytical and criticalthinking abilities with exceptional attention to detail.

  • Superior writing, editing and research skills.

  • Practical understanding of executive and legislative branch processes.

  • Ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and adapt to changing priorities.

  • Professional communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with team members at all levels.

  • Strong Outlook, Excel and Word skills required.

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills.

  • Effective analytical, logical reasoning, and problem-solving abilities.

  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

  • Ability to work appropriately 20 hours per week.

The hourly pay for this role will be $20.00 per hour.

EEO/AA EMPLOYER/Veterans/Disabled

Manatt is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, physical or mental disability, religion, creed, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, sex or gender (including gender identity, gender expression, status as a transgender or transsexual individual, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), age (over 40), genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, sexual orientation, political activity or affiliation, genetic or and any other protected classes or characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Consistent with the American Disabilities Act, applicants may request accommodations needed to participate in the application process.

This employer will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each newemployee's Form I-9 to confirm workauthorization.IMPORTANT: If the Government cannotconfirm that you are authorized to work,this employer is required to provide youwritten instructions and an opportunityto contact SSA and/or DHS before taking adverse action against you, includingterminating your employment.Employers may not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants or to re-verify current employees and may not limit or influence the choice of documents presented for use on the Form I-9.In order to determine whether Form I-9 documentation is valid, this employer uses E-Verify's photo screening tool to matchthe photograph appearing on somepermanent resident and employmentauthorization cards with the official U.S.Citizenship and Immigration Services'(USCIS) photograph.If you believe that your employer hasviolated its responsibilities under thisprogram or has discriminated againstyou during the verification processbased upon your national origin orcitizenship status, please call the Office of Special Counsel at1-800-255-7688 (TDD: 1-800-237-2515).