Overview

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is the independent government prosecuting authority for England and Wales, created by Parliament in 1986 to decide which cases should be brought to court and to present prosecutions. Headquartered in London at 102 Petty France, the CPS operates through 14 regional teams and several national specialist divisions (including SEOCID, Special Crime & Counter Terrorism and Proceeds of Crime) to handle everything from everyday summary matters to complex international organised crime and terrorism work. The organisation places a distinctive emphasis on victim and witness support, public accountability and working closely with the police and other criminal justice partners to deliver fair, evidence‑based charging decisions and courtroom advocacy. The CPS also invests in digital capability and apprenticeships to modernise casework and broaden routes into the prosecution service.

Headquarters: London, 102 Petty France, SW1H 9EA
Founded: 1986
Lawyers: Approx. 4,000 (around half of ~8,000 staff)
Offices: 14

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

Criminal Law
Fraud & Investigations
White Collar Crime
Public Law
Regulatory & Compliance
Data Protection & Privacy
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
Immigration
Technology & Digital

Geographic Focus: England and Wales (national remit delivered through 14 regional CPS Areas with a London HQ). The CPS also operates national specialist divisions that work with UK investigators and international partners on organised crime, serious economic crime, counter terrorism and international justice.

Training Contract

The CPS Legal Trainee Scheme runs two distinct pathways: a solicitor route (a two‑year training contract) and a barrister route (a 12‑month employed pupillage). Early stages focus on observation and supervised learning (first six months), followed by progressively greater advocacy and case ownership in magistrates’ and Crown Courts during the later stage. Trainees undertake court-facing work, receive structured training modules and can undertake external secondments; successful completion leads to a guaranteed Crown Prosecutor or Crown Advocate role.

Academic Requirements: Candidates are expected to be a graduate with a law degree and to hold a Legal Practice Course (LPC) or Bar Practice Course (BPC) qualification for entry to the Legal Trainee Scheme (solicitor or barrister pathway).
Application Deadline: 2026-02-2026

Seat Options

Magistrates' Court work
Crown Court work
Proceeds of Crime
Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO)
Appeals work
Special Crime / Complex Casework
Operational delivery and casework review
Digital & data roles (where applicable)

Mentorship

Trainees and pupils are assigned a dedicated pupil/trainee supervisor and provided with mentors; there is an established buddy/support network and opportunities for line manager feedback, mock interviews and coaching support from the People/Professions teams. The CPS Disabled Staff Network and other staff networks provide additional targeted development support.

Apply on the Crown Prosecution Service website →

Programmes & Schemes

Apprenticeships at the CPS

A range of apprenticeships across multiple professions (operational delivery, customer service, human resources, finance, policy, project management and legal apprenticeships including paralegal and solicitor apprenticeship roles). The CPS advertises opportunities throughout the year and supports both external and internal apprenticeships to aid career development and professional qualifications at intermediate, advanced and higher/degree levels.

Salary: Apprentices receive equal pay to others employed at the same grade (pay aligned to grade rather than a separate apprentice rate).

Apply →

NBCPA Virtual Work Experience Programme

A three‑day virtual work experience run by the National Black Crown Prosecution Association (NBCPA) in partnership with Urban Synergy. Participants experience the working life of a new CPS lawyer with mock legal work, case preparation exercises, observation of court proceedings and guest speakers offering career guidance.

Duration: 3 days

Sutton Trust Pathways to Law work experience

Local CPS Areas (for example East Midlands and Mersey Cheshire) run Sutton Trust Pathways to Law partnerships delivering work experience for university and secondary students. Activities include mock trials, legal task exercises, interviews with CPS staff, observing courts and tailored sessions to develop insight into criminal law careers.

Duration: 5 days

Meet our digital team / digital insight

Digital‑focused insight content and events showcasing roles in the CPS digital and data profession. Sessions explain digital career paths, required technical skills, the CPS digital transformation agenda and top tips for applicants.

Apply →

Notable Matters

Prosecution and conviction of Tanya Maria Nasir for fraud and related offences

CPS prosecutors from the Serious Economic, Organised and International Directorate (SEOCID) brought the case against Tanya Maria Nasir for multiple offences including fraud, using a false instrument and securing unauthorised access to computer material. The case (trial at Cardiff Crown Court) resulted in a guilty verdict (16 July 2024) and subsequent sentencing (17 October 2024) to five years' imprisonment. The CPS led the prosecution following an NHS Local Counter Fraud Authority investigation,

Fraud & Investigations

Leicester serial attacker convicted of multiple attempted murders and jailed for life

CPS East Midlands prosecutors secured convictions for multiple counts of attempted murder arising from a series of unconnected, violent attacks in the Belgrave area of Leicester. The defendant was found guilty following a jury trial and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 22.5 years. The prosecution relied on CCTV, eyewitness identification, forensic evidence and detailed case preparation to prove identity and intent across separate incidents.

Criminal Law

Prosecution securing restraining order and community sentence for abusive calls to an MP's office

CPS London North prosecuted a case in which the defendant admitted sending menacing communications to an MP’s office and assaulting a police officer. The CPS opened the matter in the magistrates’ court and secured a 14‑month community order, a two‑year restraining order and compensation to the police officer (March 2024). The case demonstrates CPS action on communications offences and public protection measures.

Criminal Law

What Crown Prosecution Service Looks For

Key Competencies

Legal judgement and application of the Code for Crown Prosecutors
Advocacy and courtroom confidence
Communication skills (written and verbal)
Empathy and victim‑focus
Attention to detail and case management
Resilience and ability to work under pressure
Teamwork and collaboration
Commitment to public service and ethical judgement
Digital literacy for roles involving disclosure and digital evidence

Evidence Signals

Relevant court or prosecution experience, including magistrates' or Crown Court exposure
Work experience placements or structured programmes (e.g., NBCPA virtual programme, Sutton Trust Pathways to Law)
Mooting/advocacy practice or pupillage experience for barrister pathway
Secondments or practical legal placements (private practice, government departments)
Experience of managing sensitive witness and victim contact
Digital/evidence handling skills for disclosure-heavy cases

Benefits & Wellbeing

Civil Service contributory pension of up to 28.9%
25 days' annual leave, increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service
An extra privilege day to mark the King's birthday
Competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave
Flexible and family-friendly working (examples include compressed hours and hybrid working)
Cycle2Work scheme
Employee savings schemes
Individual Learning Allowance of £350 per year
Access to legal research resources (Archbold, Westlaw, Blackstone’s, LexisNexis) for lawyers
Guaranteed prosecuting role on successful completion of Legal Trainee Scheme
40% office-based hybrid working (role-dependent guidance, cited for digital and other roles)
Recruitment & Retention Allowance (example: £3,150 RRA cited for London in job adverts)

Wellbeing

Employee wellbeing support covering mental, physical and social wellbeing; wellbeing services and staff networks (e.g., Disabled Staff Network, Carers Association) provide targeted support and events. The CPS highlights managerial support, reasonable adjustments for disabled staff and a focus on occupational wellbeing.

Awards & Recognition

Disability Confident Leader (government recognition)
Carer Confident Level 2
Top 10 Employers for Working Families (2024)
Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers (2023)
Ranked 36th in the Social Mobility Employer Index (2022)
Recognised as an attractive employer by law professionals and students in the Universum survey (year cited on site)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The CPS holds Disability Confident Leader status, Carer Confident Level 2 recognition, participates in the Social Mobility Employer Index (ranked 36th in 2022) and follows the Good Recruitment Charter principles. The CPS publishes an Inclusion and Community Engagement Strategy and runs targeted outreach, work experience and apprenticeship programmes to improve representation and public confidence.

CPS Disabled Staff Network (DSN)
National Black Crown Prosecution Association (NBCPA)
CPS Community Accountability Forum (CAF)
External Consultation Groups (ECG) on Hate Crime and Violence Against Women and Girls
Disproportionality Advisory Group
Local Scrutiny and Involvement panels
Carers Association; Carers Passport & Carers Charter
Good Recruitment Charter adherence and inclusive recruitment practices (name/institution-blind shortlisting)

Innovation

The CPS is pursuing a digital transformation agenda to improve casework efficiency and public engagement: this includes adoption of a Digital Case System, guidance and processes for handling and disclosing digital material, collaboration with forensic and digital specialists (DEROs), and national digital teams building functionality to support prosecutors. Digital teams are resourced to modernise evidence handling, disclosure workflows and online communications; trainees and prosecutors engage with these tools in casework that involves large volumes of digital material and disclosure management.

Investment in digital capability and digital case systems (Digital Case System references in fees/disclosure guidance)
Guidance and processes for digital disclosure including use of keyword searches and Digital Evidence Recovery Officers
Central digital and information leadership (Chief Digital and Information Officer role and national digital teams)

Quick Application Angles

Demonstrate knowledge of the Code for Crown Prosecutors and give concrete examples of how you would apply its evidential and public interest tests to complex facts — the CPS emphasises decision-making based on that Code.
Highlight any direct courtroom exposure, advocacy practice or realistic legal work experience (mock trials, work experience with CPS Areas, NBCPA or Sutton Trust programmes) — the CPS values early practical experience and clear examples of case involvement.
If applying for digital or disclosure-related roles, cite any experience with digital evidence, keyword searching, or working with digital forensics; reference the CPS’ published guidance on digital disclosure and the use of DEROs to show sector familiarity.
Emphasise commitment to victim and witness care: provide examples of sensitive communication, safeguarding, or victim support work to align with the CPS victim‑focused culture and Victim Transformation Programme.
Use the CPS’ core values language (e.g., 'independent and fair', 'honest and open', 'treat everyone with respect', 'strive for excellence') verbatim in applications and link each example to one of those values.

Crown Prosecution Service