• The sooner the institution becomes involved in the process, the easier it is to positively influence its outcome. This is because officials will not have invested so much of their time and effort towards a certain end-time and energy that they might be unwilling to see wasted. Often, proposals for legislative action start in the line ministry and by the time they reach the ministry of justice, which may be responsible for preparing the legal draft, all the hard thinking on the contents is completed. Entering into discussions at this point may be too late, as positions may have become entrenched.