Crown prosecutor
Crown prosecutors decide if there's enough evidence to take cases to court.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
In this role you could:
- decide if there's enough evidence to convict
- explain decisions to lawyers, witnesses, the police and other agencies
- prepare the case for the prosecution
- present the case to a panel of magistrates, judges or a jury
- question people in court and sum up the case for the prosecution
You may also train other prosecutors or represent the Crown Prosecution Service at 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.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
- excellent verbal communication skills
- active listening skills
- excellent written communication 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
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
Restrictions and Requirements
You'll need to:
- pass security checks
- pass enhanced background checks
How to become
You can get into this job by working towards this role and applying directly.
You can apply for this job if you've:
- got at least a lower second class (2:2) degree
- trained as a solicitor or barrister
- completed your Legal Practice Course or Bar Professional Training Course
- finished a 2 year training contract or a 12 month pupillage
Vacancies
You can view current vacancies and how to apply to be a crown prosecutor from:
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External links
This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.


