Level 2 Crown Advocate

Job summary

As a Crown Advocate Level 2, you prosecute non-jury work, handle complex cases in the magistrates’ court and conduct trial advocacy in the Crown Court for a range of criminal cases such as theft, assault, and non-fatal road traffic offences. You use your advocacy skills to present legal arguments and challenge expert evidence, often in opposition to leading counsel for the defence. You also advise on youth court cases and can appear as a led junior depending on your level of experience.

Using your criminal law expertise, you assess the quality and sufficiency of evidence, the appropriateness of charges, and decide if there is realistic prospect of conviction and whether it is in the public interest. Your advocacy plays a key role in our ability to deliver justice for victims of crime, providing sound judgement and clear communication with defence, judges and other criminal justice agencies.

Cathryn, Crown Advocate Level 2

Job description

You analyse, review, prepare, present and undertake jury trials in straightforward criminal cases.

You manage casework and maintain up-to-date knowledge of all criminal offences.

You explain our decisions clearly to a wide range of stakeholders including magistrates, counsel, victims, witnesses and the police to build confidence in the work of the Crown Prosecution Service.

You provide a link with senior decision makers, draft responses to parliamentary questions and prepare briefings for the Director of Public Prosecutions and law officers.

You build relationships and deal effectively and persuasively with a wide range of people, internally and externally, to ensure cases are effectively prosecuted.

Person specification

Here are the qualifications and memberships you need to apply for this role. Please also see attached advocacy framework for information.

Qualifications

Academic: you must have a law degree, Common Professional Examination or Graduate Diploma in Law.

You must hold Higher Rights of Audience.

Professional: you must have completed a Legal Practice Course, Solicitors Qualifying Exam or Bar Professional Training Course, and have completed the relevant pupillage and training contract - or have received a full exemption from the relevant professional regulatory body. CILEx-qualified candidates must hold a ‘general qualification’ within the meaning of 71 (3) (c) Courts and Legal Services Act 1990.

You must be qualified to practise in the Crown Court as a qualified barrister under Bar Standards Board regulation, or solicitor with Higher Rights of Audience - Criminal Advocacy.

If you apply and don’t have the relevant qualifications, any offer of employment will be withdrawn, or your contract terminated. Equivalent qualifications won’t be accepted. If you're not sure about your eligibility, contact advocacyrecruitment@cps.gov.uk

Memberships

You must have a valid practising certificate for England and Wales or be eligible to obtain a valid practising certificate, issued from either the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Bar Standards Board by 22 June 2026.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• You must have a law degree or Common Professional Examination.
• You must have completed a Legal Practice Course or Bar Vocational Course and have the relevant pupillage or period of recognised training
• Qualified to practise in the Crown Court as a qualified barrister under Bar Standards Board Regulations - or solicitor with Higher Rights (Criminal Advocacy) under the Solicitors Regulation Authority Higher Rights of Audience Regulations 2011.
• You must have a valid Practising Certificate for England and Wales or be eligible to obtain a valid practising certificate issued from either the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Bar Standards Board.
• We also assess potential, motivation, legal intellect and advocacy

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £59,590, Crown Prosecution Service contributes £17,263 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Crown Prosecution Service is passionate about ensuring that we're a top performing organisation and a great place to work. We're a committed equal opportunities employer, creating a culture where you can bring your whole self to work, and individuality is truly appreciated.

This culture of inclusion is underpinned by our staff networks covering disability, faith and belief, LGBTQI+, race, social mobility alongside our mental health first aiders programme and wellbeing sessions.

The Crown Prosecution Service commits to offer its employees the following experience:

• You can do impactful, purposeful work that’s making a difference to your local communities.
• You are able to learn and grow, with access to the right opportunities and resources.
• We care about your wellbeing.
• We want you to feel valued, trusted and included.

We also offer the following range of benefits:

• Civil Service contributory pension of up to 28.9%
• 25 days’ leave, increasing to 30 days after 5 years
• £350 each year to spend on personal development
• an extra privilege day to mark the King's birthday
• competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave
• flexible working including flexitime, and a family friendly approach to work
• Cycle2Work scheme, employee savings.

Pay at the Crown Prosecution Service varies depending on your location.

Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Carlisle, Exeter, Hull, Ipswich, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Mold, Newcastle, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Plymouth, Preston, Sheffield, Stoke on Trent, Swansea, Swindon, Truro: : £59,590 (starting pay), £67,730 (maximum pay)

Brighton, Canterbury, Chelmsford, Eastleigh, Guildford, Portsmouth, Reading: £64,780 (starting pay), £73,130 (maximum pay)

St Albans: £64,780+ £1,050 (starting pay), £73,130+ £1,050 (maximum pay)

London: £64,780 + £3,150 (starting pay), £73,130 + £3,150 (maximum pay)

You should expect to join on the starting pay unless you are joining on a level transfer from another government department.

Working for the CPS as an employed Advocate, you don’t need to pay for Clerking fees or business rent. We cover your costs for your wig and gown as well as your practising certificate and supporting legal literature.

Diversity at the Crown Prosecution Service is about inclusion, embracing differences and ensuring our workforce truly reflects the communities we serve. We want you to feel that you belong and can thrive, whatever your background, identity or culture. As a Disability Confident employer, we're happy to support requests for reasonable adjustments and improve your recruitment experience. If you'd like any reasonable adjustments made to our recruitment process, let us know within your application or contact AdvocacyRecruitment@cps.gov.uk.

We want to ensure our employees can thrive at work and home and offer a range of support to achieve a balance. This includes flexibility of working hours, flexibility to support caring responsibilities and a flexible approach to deployment. We offer a hybrid working policy. You must spend at least 40% of your contracted hours over a four-week period at court, in an office or another official workplace depending on business need and the kind of work you're doing.

Here at the Crown Prosecution Service, we also have a range of development programmes to support all aspiring, new and experienced managers with developing the skills, behaviours and knowledge to build their confidence and capability. Our Manager Induction Programme is mandatory for all newly appointed managers. This is a fantastic opportunity to support all our new managers with the tools to perform effectively in their roles.

If you are currently working at the Crown Prosecution Service at a higher grade and wish to still apply for this role, if successful, you will be re-graded to Crown Advocate Level 2 along with the salary advertised. You can't retain your previous higher salary or grade.

new CAs will need to undertake certain mandated modules from the LIP but these are delivered on a regular basis, so we should be able to accommodate all new starters with some training from the earliest opportunity.

Crown Advocate training

New advocates will have varying start dates and experience, however, we have two mandated C courses and the following dates are planned for this intake:

1. CA Foundation (3-day face to face course) – 21 – 23 July and 4 – 6 August.
2. CA Short Jury Trial ( 3-day face to face course) 8 – 10 September and 15 – 17 September.

If successful, you would need to keep one set of dates clear for these courses if possible. Further training is also provided, tailored to individuals.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

The recruitment process consists of an online application, assessment and interview to evidence the required levels of:

• qualifications
• legal intellect (lead behaviour at interview and assessment)
• motivation
• advocacy (lead behaviour at application and interview and assessment)
• communicating and influencing
• making effective decisions

Qualifications

You need to meet these essential criteria to be eligible to apply for this role:

• Academic: you must have alaw degree, Common Professional Examination or Graduate Diploma in Law.
• You must hold Higher Rights of Audience.
• Professional: you must have completed aLegal Practice Course, Solicitors Qualifying Exam or Bar Professional Training Course, and have completed the relevant pupillage and training contract - or have received a full exemption from the relevant professional regulatory body. CILEx-qualified candidates must hold a ‘general qualification’ within the meaning of 71 (3) (c) Courts and Legal Services Act 1990.
• You must have a valid practising certificate for England and Wales or be eligible to obtain a valid practising certificate, issued from either the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Bar Standards Board by 22 June 2026.
• You must be qualified to practise in the Crown Court as a qualified barrister under Bar Standards Board regulation, or solicitor with Higher Rights of Audience - Criminal Advocacy.

Ability: Legal intellect - assessed at application, assessment and interview stage

We want to understand your legal abilities and your aptitude for criminal law. We’re looking for the following:

• An in-depth knowledge and understanding of the key concepts and principles of criminal law.
• Reliable legal judgement and an appreciation of legal risk.
• The ability to think strategically and creatively, see legal issues in their wider context and advise accordingly.
• Sound analysis, using secure legal research to produce timely and fit for purpose advice.
• Fluent oral and written advocacy skills.
• Advanced skills in identifying case theory and strategy, and applying these to advocacy.
• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the work of the Crown Prosecution Service and our role in the wider criminal justice system.

Ability: Advocacy - assessed at application, assessment and interview stage

• The potential to present a case at the crown court, both orally and in writing in a measured, engaging, and persuasive manner.
• Advanced skills in identifying case theory and strategy, and applying these to advocacy.
• The potential to develop trial advocacy skills for jury trials in the Crown Court in the range of cases identified, often attracting local media attention.
• The ability to deal with complicating factors such as special measures, presenting or challenging complex expert evidence and difficult or sensitive issues of law and/or fact.
• The potential to undertake advocacy in complex multi-handed cases and effectively direct and manage a number of participants in the courtroom.
• Able to manage extremely sensitive cases reliably, including cases with a child or vulnerable witnesses.
• The potential to be an effective led junior.
• The ability to produce clear, impactful, and structured written work.
• Clear and articulate in oral communication.
• The ability to support witnesses so they can give their best evidence in accordance with the Crown Prosecution Service Speaking to witnesses at court guidance.

Application

You are asked to submit a CV and a supporting document demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the Crown Advocate Level 2 role, referring to the assessment criteria.

The CV should be no more than two pages of A4 using Calibri 12 font. The supporting document should contain no more than 500 words for each section using Calibri 12 font.

While we refer to experience in specialisms, we allow for the fact that it is more difficult for some applicants to show experience in a particular specialism. You are welcome to refer to specialisms where you’re interested in gaining experience.

The criteria headings for assessment are:

• Advocacy
• Advisory work
• Disclosure
• Other relevant knowledge, skills and experience
• Appreciation of the role of Crown Prosecution Service Crown Advocate.

You are expected to demonstrate excellent standards against a range of competencies in respect of the type of casework conducted by crown advocates. These include:

Advocacy

• The potential to conduct trial advocacy in the crown court efficiently and effectively in the range of cases identified for crown advocates.
• Sound understanding of evidential and criminal procedure rules, hearsay and bad character.
• Appropriate use of language and questioning.
• Ability to deal effectively with complicating factors such as special measures, expert evidence and points of evidence or law.
• Able to act appropriately to assist the court in the proper administration of justice, as required.

Advisory work

• Routinely exercise sound judgement.
• Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of law and practice and up-to-date knowledge of law relevant to prosecutions at this level.
• Present clear and succinct written arguments citing relevant authorities.
• Able to develop a clear case strategy.

Disclosure

• An understanding of the principles disclosure and ability to put those principles in practice in cases conducted by crown advocates.
• Accurately identify evidence that should be disclosed.

Other relevant knowledge, skills and experience

• The ability to prepare, prosecute and progress cases confidently and securely using digital technology.
• Awareness of how to obtain and use evidence from abroad and deal with jurisdictional issues, human rights, restraint and confiscation.

Appreciation of the role of a Crown Advocate

• Knowledge of ethical standards, for example completing the advocacy and ethics element of the New Practitioners’ Programme.
• Acting appropriately when handling issue of diversity or difference.
• A willingness to work as part of a prosecution team undertaking the type of work in 'Casework at Level 2' without compromising professional independence.
• Familiarity with, and an understanding of, Crown Prosecution Service policy guidance including the Code, Farquharson Guidelines and policies in respect of victims and witnesses, hate crime and violence against women and girls.
• An appropriate understanding of the professional relationship between the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

The panel has the right to assess the lead behaviour ‘advocacy’ first, considering the potential of the applicant. If the standard on this behaviour isn’t met, the other behaviours won’t be considered, and your application won’t progress. The panel also has the right to raise the minimum standard pass mark. The panel may also refer to the lead behaviours ‘advocacy' and 'legal intellect’ at the interview and assessment stage to determine merit order.

Assessment and interview

If you pass the first stage, you are invited to complete a Crown Prosecution Service legal assessment and interview.

Legal assessment and interviews may be held face to face or over Microsoft Teams. They will take place between 1 - 19 June.

These dates may be subject to change. If you’re unavailable for the proposed assessment and dates, please speak to our recruitment team and it may be possible to offer alternative dates. Offers and pre-employment checks begin from 22 June 2026. The number of posts available are subject to business needs and so subject to change.

We use behaviours to help us understand your experience, to help you do a great job in this role. You are assessed against Grade 7 in the Civil Service success profiles behaviours framework. We are assessing five behaviours at interview and assessment stage:

Legal intellect – interview and assessment (lead behaviour)

Advocacy – interview and assessment (lead behaviour)

Motivation - interview

Making effective decisions - interview and assessment

Communicating and influencing – interview and assessment

Learn about Civil Service Behaviours.

Accuracy

You must ensure that your application, including your personal statement and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

Information sessions

We are holding two crown advocate information sessions, you can join our live Q&A where you can ask us questions about the recruitment process, entry requirements, your application or about the specifics of the role.

• Wednesday 22 April 1.00pm - 1.45pm - Sign up here https://meetandengage.com/amnrg22dc
• Thursday 30 April 1.00pm - 1.45pm - Sign up here https://meetandengage.com/amnrg47yc

Transcripts for events will be available by request to email advocacyrecruitment@cps.gov.uk, if you can't join those dates and times.

Other

This is a full-time post. We do consider requests for flexible, part-time working and job share, always considering the operational needs of the department.

Reserve list

If all the posts are filled for your existing geographical Area, you’re put on a reserve list. You may be approached about an opportunity at a location outside your initial preference. Offers are always made in merit order.

There may be instances where you’re offered the opportunity to work on our central prosecution team – to complete work remotely for business areas around England and Wales. If offered, this is for a minimum one-month period with the possibility of an extension up to 24 months. Once completed, you return on a permanent basis to your Crown Prosecution Service area.

The reserve list expires 12 months after the interviews take place and positions for your first preference can’t be guaranteed.

Fraud check

The Crown Prosecution Service provides a Fair Processing Notice to all new applicants after they’ve been successful at interview. These candidates are informed that, as one aspect of pre-employment screening, their personal details – name, National Insurance number and date of birth – are checked against the Internal Fraud Database. We won't employ anyone included on the database unless they can demonstrate exceptional circumstances.

The Strategic Resourcing team in the Crown Prosecution Service will, on behalf of the vacancy holder, inform applicants when they are refused employment because of their inclusion in the Internal Fraud Database.

Current civil servants

If you’re a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions, your application won’t be progressed any further.

• formal discipline action
• any formal action regarding attendance or poor performance
• any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action
• currently subject to probation.

Civil Service Commission

If you’re dissatisfied with the recruitment process and wish to make a complaint, please contact Strategic.Resourcing@cps.gov.uk with your concerns.

If you remain dissatisfied and wish to make a further complaint, please click on the following link to the Civil Service Commission complaints page https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilservicerecruitmentcomplaints/

Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles can be found at

Recruitment Principles

Details of the Civil Service Nationality Rules are located at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Candidates are subject to UK immigration requirements. For the most up-to-date information on the requirements of working in the UK, please go to the UK Visas and Immigration website at https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Advocacy Recruitment Team
• Email : advocacyrecruitment@cps.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : advocacyrecruitment@cps.gov.uk

Attachments

CA Framework Opens in new window (pdf, 213kB)