Pupillage with the Crown Prosecution Service is set up like any other pupillage, with a first six and a second six. In my first six, I was shadowing every day, either in the magistrates’ court or the Crown Court. I also completed a secondment with chambers, where I shadowed defence counsel for two weeks.

In my second six, from the very beginning, I was doing cases myself. I started with one or two cases a day, mostly plea and trial preparation hearings. Then I progressed to doing around four cases per day, and over time those cases were allocated directly to me. I then went on to handle appeals against conviction. These experiences during my pupillage set me up well for eventually conducting jury trials.

Having the support that comes with being in employed practice, rather than being self‑employed, really stood out to me. It gave me an extra level of security so that I didn’t have to worry about practical aspects and could focus on my development and training. I knew that the level of training I would receive at the Crown Prosecution Service would be second to none, and that’s something I’ve really benefited from.

Anything you need in day‑to‑day legal practice is already paid for and available. I have ready access to Archbold, Westlaw, Blackstone’s and LexisNexis. The teamwork and support have been invaluable throughout my training, whether from my supervisor, my line manager or even more senior colleagues. No question is considered silly, you can ask anyone in the Crown Prosecution Service for help and they will be more than happy to assist.

I had a guaranteed job at the end of my pupillage, with the option to become either a Crown Advocate or a Crown Prosecutor. The Crown Advocate role is heavily advocacy‑focused and involves work in both the magistrates’ and Crown Courts. That advocacy work suited me best, so I chose the Crown Advocate pathway.

Every staff member receives an individual learning allowance of £350, which can be used to develop their skills. The Civil Service pension is excellent, and you can also accrue flexi leave when working beyond your usual hours. Working cases objectively and ensuring everything is done correctly is paramount to me and to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Play video: Theo, Legal Trainee

My name is Bernardina, and I'm a Crown Prosecutor. I knew for quite a long time that I wanted to go into the legal profession. I wanted to be a solicitor in particular because I typically enjoy the review side of things, and criminal law was always something I was really interested in. I thought it was such a rewarding sector to be in – ensuring that defendants are convicted of the right crime and that we get the just outcome for victims. That was always really inspiring to me and something that I wanted to pursue.

I'd heard from a lot of people that the Crown Prosecution Service was a really supportive organisation to work for, and I got that impression from the outset. It felt like a really supportive place to learn, and it offered everything I was looking for. Both solicitors and barristers can apply for the Legal Trainee Scheme. As a solicitor, it's a two‑year scheme.
You spend quite a lot of your first six months observing in the magistrates’ court and Crown Court. You then get the opportunity to complete external secondments, and in your last six months of training you are on your feet as an advocate in the magistrates’ court, building those skills – which is quite unique.

I spent six months in private practice for one of my secondments, working on employment law, and I also spent three months at the Attorney General’s Office. That was really insightful, and I had an amazing experience there. I worked on unduly lenient sentences, contempt of court matters, consents to prosecute. It’s something I really recommend.
I think the biggest benefit of working for the Crown Prosecution Service is the flexibility the training contract offers.

You’re really able to curate the experience based on where your aspirations lie and where you see yourself in the future. One of the beneficial staff perks is flexi leave. Sometimes you naturally work over your contracted hours, especially if you’re working on a big case or something unexpected comes up. We accrue flexi leave and use it to book time off, which is great.

At the end of your training contract, you're graded through to a Crown Prosecutor role. I felt so proud of myself. Any aspiring solicitor or barrister knows how much work is involved in achieving that goal and how much effort it takes to get to that point.

I was the first in my family to go to university and get a law degree, so it was quite challenging at times to break into the profession. I managed to obtain my training contract during my second year of university. I graduated, completed my Legal Practice Course (LPC), and came here. Now I’m really proud to say that I'm a qualified solicitor at the age of 24, and I think it will probably be my biggest achievement to date.

Play video: Bernardina, former Trainee Solicitor

My name is Maisha and I am a newly qualified Crown Prosecutor. Prior to joining the Crown Prosecution Service, my background was in defence. There were two things I wanted from the start: first, to qualify as a solicitor – that was my main goal – and second, to join the Crown Prosecution Service for my training contract because they have such a good reputation for their training.

Coming from the defence side, I wanted to see the other side and understand how it worked, specifically within the Crown Prosecution Service. It was quite interesting because I didn’t really know what to expect beforehand. From the beginning, we’re told that you are the driver of your training contract, and that is exactly what it is. I asked myself what I was interested in and what I wanted my career to progress into, and I chose those areas.

I did magistrates’ court because when we qualify, we become Crown Prosecutors and act as advocates in the magistrates’ court. There is no typical day. One day you can be reviewing a serious rape case, and the next day you could be reviewing a kidnap. It’s really varied and really different, but that’s what makes it so interesting.

I think the number one benefit of doing a training contract with the Crown Prosecution Service, and something I didn’t realise until I started, is the secondment. Being able to do your secondment elsewhere, even though I still stayed within the Civil Service, gives you different exposure that really helps when you come back.

When I returned from my secondment, I learned something new about myself: I really enjoy doing research, and I like working in very new areas of law that I didn’t study at university or have previous exposure to. After coming back, I actually went to Proceeds of Crime, which was a completely new area for me. My trainee supervisor and I got along so well, and I cannot fault him. I was very lucky to have someone so supportive, especially someone who understood exactly what I wanted.

I learn best by being thrown into the middle of things, and I like being right in the centre of it, trying to understand it. And he allowed me to do that.

On the day your training contract finishes, you become a Crown Prosecutor. You don’t have to apply separately or go through another interview process. Once you finish your training contract, that job security is there. It takes the stress away, and when you reach the end, you’re just excited. After all that work, you’re finally a qualified solicitor.

All that hard work, all the university work – it’s such an accomplishment on the day you become a Crown Prosecutor. 

Play video: Maisha, newly qualified Crown Prosecutor

My name’s Saskia, and I'm currently a Crown Advocate Level 1. I've always wanted to be a barrister, and I wanted to be employed. There are a lot of benefits that come with being an employed barrister, especially at the Crown Prosecution Service. When I saw that the opportunity became available, I immediately wanted to take it up.

The Crown Prosecution Service Legal Trainee Scheme has two different routes. The first is for those wanting to become a solicitor, and the second is for those wanting to become a barrister. For the barrister route, the pupillage is 12 months, and for the solicitor route, the training contract lasts two years.

A typical day as a Legal Trainee is mostly spent in court. For the first six months, you observe your pupil supervisor. On the barristers’ route, this involves going to the Crown Court with your supervisor to observe plea and trial preparation hearings, mention hearings and sentencing hearings. In the second six months, you prosecute cases yourself, which also includes magistrates’ court work.

You are assigned a dedicated pupil supervisor on your first day. I have a great relationship with mine, who is now my mentor. They are always available for any queries you have and provide your biggest support throughout pupillage, and that support has continued for me.

The work I do is really important to me, particularly the victim focus. Before any court hearing, you speak with victims and witnesses, go through the case with them and discuss what it means to them. It's really important to see the impact the case has on them, and the positive difference you can make as the advocate in the hearing.

One of the biggest benefits of doing the Legal Trainee Scheme with the Crown Prosecution Service is that you’re employed. You don’t have to worry about income in your early years. The support is excellent – I’ve felt supported by every member of the organisation I’ve come across. For me, the stability and flexibility are major positives. They are very accommodating with anything you might need during your time as a trainee, and it has been incredibly valuable to me.

One particular piece of advice I’d give to anyone considering applying is that no matter what your background is or where you started your journey, it's important to focus on where you want to be. I began my journey in a single parent, working‑class family. I didn’t know any legal representatives, barristers or solicitors, and I’ve worked many part‑time jobs to get here. I studied at university alongside a full‑time job. My biggest advice is don’t let anything stop you or get in your way.

If someone were unsure about applying to the scheme, I would absolutely encourage them to go for it. The support you receive from the organisation and the whole team is incredible. It’s unmatched, and you should definitely dive straight in.

Play video: Saskia, former Pupil Barrister

I'm Emily, and I work at the Crown Prosecution Service in the North East as a Crown Advocate. I started as a Pupil Barrister after completing the Bar course, and the Legal Trainee Scheme was my route to hopefully qualifying as a barrister.

When I qualified as a barrister, I took on the role of Crown Advocate Level 1. 

During my Legal Trainee Scheme with the Crown Prosecution Service, I had a pupil supervisor, and we had a really good working relationship. I still go to him for advice now when I need it. For the first six months, I spent a couple of months shadowing him, whether in the magistrates’ court or the Crown Court. I got to see some really exciting things that I didn’t expect.

I had my own mentor in the magistrates’ court, so if I had any questions about that type of work, I could go straight to them, which was really helpful. I essentially had two different people there to support me.

We also had a lot of training courses. You do so much e‑learning that it really helps build your knowledge. By the time you reach the second six months, you’ve developed a full baseline of prosecutor knowledge that you can use. It means you develop much more quickly and get experience across all different types of courts. I don’t think you get that anywhere else – full courses on every type of offence and every type of court you might work in. You build such a strong foundation that continues throughout your career.

There are so many aspects of my work that feel important. I feel a huge responsibility on my shoulders because I’m representing witnesses and victims. When I speak to the witnesses and victims themselves, it really reminds me how important this role is.

If you're thinking about applying for the Legal Trainee Scheme, you clearly have something inside you that wants to do it, and I would say just apply. It’s not a scary process – everyone is really supportive.

Play video: Emily, former Pupil Barrister

After joining the Crown Prosecution Service, I found that there was a unity that simply didn't exist in other places that I’ve worked for. Everyone works together for one common goal, and that is to put the victims first. Everyone is there to support each other.

We (Senior Crown Prosecutors) are ultimately responsible for making charging decisions. The police submit a file to us, and we then consider that file. We review the file and make a decision whether to charge or to send it back to the police for further information.

Before we can make a charging decision, we apply the Code for Crown Prosecutors to each of our cases, and we need to determine whether there's a realistic prospect of conviction or not.

There are times where Senior Crown Prosecutors will be court‑facing. The court could be anything from the not guilty anticipated plea court to the guilty anticipated plea court, where you may deal with 20 to 25 cases in a day, or the remand court, where you really have to think on your feet. You need to liaise with counsel too.

If you move towards the Crown Court unit, the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences unit and other specialised units, you’ll do a lot of liaising with the police as well. It's the challenge that I really enjoy. What we do makes a difference. We have a very intensive caseload, but the work is mentally engaging. It makes a difference to the community and certainly to the victims. We are there to assist and to help.

There is a lot of training offered at the Crown Prosecution Service at all stages. There is a vast array of material available. If you want to learn, it's there. There are webinars, and we can use our allowance each year to further our learning. You’re never far from someone you can ask for assistance, whether it’s about a case or a legal issue. There is always someone available to pick up the phone.

I was given the opportunity to act up as a Legal Manager. That really emphasises how the organisation supports you to grow.

If you want to deliver justice – because that's ultimately what we do – and if you want to hone your legal skills, this is the right place for you. It’s a really good working environment. I would say it would be the best decision you can ever make.

The thing that inspired me to be a Trainee Solicitor with the Crown Prosecution Service was mainly the fact that crime is a really interesting area of law. I feel quite passionately about doing a job that helps others, and that's why I got into law.

A typical day for a trainee did vary. It will depend on the unit that you're in. But essentially, you may be shadowing in court on one day, and you can observe lawyers in the magistrates’ court or Crown Court.

On another day, you may be doing review work, so you may be at home or in the office alongside a supervisor, working on cases at different points in their life span.

During my training, I essentially split it up into four six‑month blocks. I started with the Crown Court unit. I then moved to an external secondment at a private law firm. I then did six months split across Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) and the Serious Economic, Organised Crime and International Directorate (SEOCID).

For the final six months, I was an Associate Prosecutor on the magistrates’ court unit, so I got to see a variety of different units in my area, and that gave me a lot of experience. It really does vary, and that's what keeps it so interesting.

I think it's important for people to know that senior members of staff are really involved in the Legal Trainee Scheme. In my area, the Chief Crown Prosecutor involved us in a meeting where she asked how we felt the legal trainee scheme could be improved.

I also had a qualifying ceremony with the Director of Public Prosecutions, and he discussed with us how he felt things could be improved. That makes me feel that people are listening and taking our feelings into consideration, and that the scheme will only continue to improve.

I think that a real benefit of applying to the Crown Prosecution Service is the security of knowing that you will have a secure job at the end of the Legal Trainee Scheme, and that's something that sets it apart from other training contracts.

As a solicitor on the Legal Trainee Scheme, I qualified as a Crown Prosecutor, and my role now entails mainly magistrates’ court advocacy but also magistrates’ court review work. If you follow that pathway, you can become a Crown Prosecutor once you've qualified.

I feel really strongly about diversity, and the fact that the Crown Prosecution Service is so committed to working on that area is something that resonates with me and that I feel I can make a difference with.

If somebody approached me and asked about applying for the Legal Trainee Scheme, I would encourage them to do so. I think it's great experience at any age and at any stage in your legal career, and that the Crown Prosecution Service is a great place to work.

Play video: Tyra, former Legal Trainee

My background

I first joined the CPS in the 1980s. Back then I managed a small admin team. That role led to me sitting behind counsel during court sessions and I thought, ‘that’s something I’d like to do’. I qualified and then for many years I was in private practice before deciding to return to the CPS. I was able to transfer the skills I’d built up as a partner in a private legal firm and put them to use leading a team of lawyers in the Crown Advocate Unit.

My inspiration

I like the fact that you have a positive impact on people’s lives at the CPS. Our main focus is to make sure we do the right thing for the victim and justice is delivered.

My typical day

As a legal manager my role is to make sure the work of the Crown Advocate team runs smoothly and we are successful in prosecuting the right people for the right offences. It’s also about recognising the pressures and difficulties victims and witnesses may be facing and doing everything you can to help them feel comfortable and understand the process.

You can’t always predict what tomorrow will bring so it’s important that you and your team are there to support victims and witnesses through what may be a challenging and traumatic time.

Most days I’ll be checking with diaries and allocations, making sure schedules are in place for crown advocate cover. If I can’t be in court I like to be near to it to support, advise and assist my team.

I also provide legal guidance to my team and caseworkers and report back on the team’s work and performance. I make sure policies and procedures for the Crown Advocates are up-to-date and effectively monitored.

My biggest learning

The CPS has grown massively since I first started and technology has come into its own. There’s also been a huge growth in the support that’s available. When you join the CPS as a legal manager there is a specific lawyer induction programme which provides support to both new and experienced managers, to get to know the role and develop. There’s always someone to talk to, to help out and go to if you need that specialist knowledge on a particular area of crime.

There’s a real community feeling across the CPS and I’ve made some lifelong friends across the Criminal Justice System over my time in private practice and at the CPS. That’s really helped me across my career, working collaboratively with stakeholders both internally and externally to improve conviction rates and make the public feel safer.

My background

I’ve recently taken on the role of legal manager but I’ve been with the CPS for over 15 years. Previously I was a Senior Crown Prosecutor with the CPS managing a varied caseload. Before that I started my legal career at a defence firm in South London. Living in the South East, it’s a big deal for me to be able to work on cases and have a positive impact in my local area.

My inspiration

What brought me to the CPS was the sheer variety of work that you can get involved in and the opportunities to develop your career. As a legal manager I help my team make sure justice is delivered for victims of crime, which has to be your end goal.

My typical day

No day is the same as a legal manager but I usually start with urgent emails and making sure that everything can be covered by the team. I’ll often need to provide assurance reports, demonstrating that the cases we’re pursuing are under proper review and that important applications requests such as custody time limit extensions are being progressed efficiently. I’ll be liaising with my team throughout the day to pick up any issues that might arise and support them to carry out their roles. This can be anything from help with HR issues to questions about law and procedure.

I manage a team of eight lawyers, with different levels of experience from the very new to those who have been with the organisation for over 25 years. It’s important I’m able to give them all the support they need and that they feel they are part of a team.

My biggest learning

I’ve not been in a leadership role before but the support I’ve received from other legal managers and my team has been really positive. Our Learning and Development Team run a very helpful course for new managers and it has been great to speak to colleagues nationally who are at the same stage in their careers. It’s a busy role (not one where you’ll be bored by eleven!) with a real variety of issues to get involved with and you quickly realise that your team members are your greatest asset.