You could work your way up through the Crown Prosecution Service Legal Trainee Scheme.
Crown prosecutor
Alternative titles for this job include Reviewing lawyer
Crown prosecutors make sure that decisions to bring people to court are fair and likely to succeed.
Average salary (a year)
£32,000 Starter
to£115,000 Experienced
Typical hours (a week)
36 to 38 a week
You could work
evenings / weekends / bank holidays on a rota
How to become a Crown prosecutor
You must be a qualified solicitor or barrister to do this job.
You can get into this job through:
- working towards this role
- applying directly if you have relevant skills, knowledge and qualifications
Work
Direct application
You can apply for this job if you have trained as a solicitor or barrister and have completed your Legal Practice Course or Bar Professional Training Course and 2-year training or 12-month pupillage.
More information
Further information
The Crown Prosecution Service has more information on being a crown prosecutor.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
- knowledge of English language
- excellent verbal communication skills
- active listening skills
- analytical thinking skills
- the ability to read English
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
- You will be expected to know how to use a computer and tools to benefit this job.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- pass security checks
- pass enhanced background checks
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
In this role you could be:
- checking facts and documents for each case
- advising which charges are suitable
- explaining decisions to defence lawyers, witnesses, the police and other agencies
- deciding if there's enough evidence to convict, and if it's reliable and can be used in court
- preparing the case for the prosecution
- making sure relevant evidence is put before the court
- presenting the case to a panel of magistrates or judges, or to a judge and jury, depending on the court
- questioning the defendant and witnesses
- summing up the case for the prosecution
You'll also be:
- training other prosecutors and caseworkers
- representing the CPS at casework conferences
Working environment
You could work in an office or in a court.
Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.
Career path and progression
With experience and further training you could progress to senior crown prosecutor.
From there you could become crown advocate, senior crown advocate and principal crown advocate.
Training opportunities
Apprenticeships In England
We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for a Crown prosecutor right now.
The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.
Courses In England
Land Law CILEx Unit 4 level 3
- Provider: LEICESTER COLLEGE
- Start date: 06 February 2019
- Location: Leicester
CILEx Level 6 Land Law
- Provider: Chichester College Group
- Start date: 18 September 2019
- Location: Chichester