Senior Crown Advocate

Job summary

Are you a qualified lawyer with criminal law knowledge, legal expertise, and significant advocacy experience in the Crown Court?

The Senior Crown Advocate position is one of our highest-level Advocate roles. You’re on the frontline conducting advocacy at jury trials for some of the most serious, sensitive and complex cases the Crown Prosecution Service prosecute – from manslaughter and murder to sexual offences and organised crime.

You work in high-pressure situations that are integral to the outcome of criminal proceedings. It’s essential that you’re able to communicate clearly in advising, preparing to prosecute and carrying out trial advocacy on cases – seeing your cases through from start to completion. You play a central role in securing justice for victims and witnesses of crime.

It is also a leadership position, and you are expected to be a role model for junior advocates and clerks, as well as assisting your broader CPS Area or the South Eastern Regional Advocacy Hub in bringing your courtroom expertise and experience back to the office to develop lawyers, trainees and paralegals.

Hear from our crown advocates, The Crown Prosecution Service (cps.gov.uk)

Job description

You conduct jury trials in serious and often high-profile cases. You support investigators by reviewing evidence and providing sound judgement on whether to proceed with prosecution. When a realistic prospect of conviction is found, you work with colleagues from across the criminal justice system to prepare and present cases in the Crown Court and Court of Appeal.

Subject to satisfying the ’general qualification’ provision within the meaning of section 71 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990, you are designated by the Director of Public Prosecutions as a Crown Prosecutor under the terms of section 1 (3) of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985.

• You analyse, review, prepare and prosecute a wide range of cases with up-to-date knowledge of criminal offences ranging from motoring to murder.

• You draft responses to parliamentary questions and to prepare high level oral and written briefings for the Director of Public Prosecutions and law officers.

• You lead, ensuring case deadlines and priorities are met.

• You build and maintain relationships with a wide range of people across the criminal justice system, communicating our decisions clearly and working with them effectively 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 Crown Advocate Framework for information.

Qualifications

Legally qualified: You must be a qualified practising solicitor or barrister and hold a valid Practising Certificate for England and Wales.
Professional: You must have completed a Legal Practice Course or Bar Professional Training Course and have the relevant pupillage and training contract (or have received full exemption from the relevant professional regulatory body, either the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Bar Standards Board).

You must be 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.

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

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

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

• We will assess motivation, legal intellect and advocacy
• •You must have experience of dealing with contested category 3 and/or category 4 criminal advocacy in the Crown Court. Please provide details of any experience relied on, omitting any identifying information.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £76,710, Crown Prosecution Service contributes £22,222 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Join the Crown Prosecution Service and find your purpose

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. Our hybrid working policy requires you to 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.

Delivering justice is a complex pursuit with work that is sometimes emotionally challenging, which is why we offer a range of benefits including:

• a Civil Service contributory pension of up to 28.9%
• 25 days’ leave, increasing to 30 days after 5 years
• an extra privilege day to mark the King's birthday
• competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave
• flexible working and a family-friendly approach to work
• a Cycle2Work scheme, employee savings
• a range of learning and development activities, an individual learning account, and central and local development opportunities.

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

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

Please note if you are applying on transfer from another government department, any move across the Civil Service on or after 6 April 2018 may have implications on an employee’s ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers.
More information about the new Tax Free Childcare Scheme can be found on https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/tax-free-childcare

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, Ability, Experience and Technical skills.

Application

Submit your application through Civil Service Jobs by 11:55pm on 29 November 2026.

You are asked to upload one document (Microsoft Word) containing both your CV and a supporting submission, demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the Senior Crown Advocate role, specifically addressing the assessment criteria.

The CV should be no more than two pages using Calibri 12 font and should include:

• career history with key responsibilities
• skills and experience
• achievements
• qualifications

The supporting submission addressing the five criteria should contain no more than 500 words for each heading, using Calibri 12 font. Please ensure you only upload one document.

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 your application assessment are:

• advocacy
• advisory work
• public interest immunity and disclosure
• other relevant knowledge, skills and experience
• appreciation of the role of a Crown Prosecution Service Senior Crown Advocate.

To score highly, you must demonstrate a range of competencies to an excellent standard in respect of the breadth of casework expected to be undertaken by Senior Crown Advocates, including:

Advocacy

• The ability to conduct highest quality advocacy in the range of cases identified for Senior Crown Advocates in the Crown Advocate Framework often of the utmost gravity.
• A superior grasp of trial advocacy skills for sensitive, high profile jury trials in the Crown Court including opening, closing, witness handling and legal argument often in complex multi- handed cases.
• The ability to deal with highly complicating factors such as special measures, presenting or challenging complex expert evidence and difficult or sensitive issues of law and/or fact.
• Presents highly proficient submissions to a standard of excellence before any tribunal including the Crown Court and Higher Courts.
• Able to lead a prosecution case with skill and diplomacy in the face of hostile opponents.
• A fluid, articulate and intuitive advocate.

Advisory work

• Able to present highly proficient written submissions to a standard of excellence.
• The exercise of consistently sound judgement.
• Demonstrates expertise in law and practice and up-to-date knowledge of law relevant to prosecutions at this level.
• Assimilates the relevance of evidence quickly, even when working with voluminous or complex evidence.

Public interest immunity and disclosure

• In-depth understanding of the disclosure regime and principles of Public Interest Immunity.
• The ability to handle complex and sensitive public interest immunity issues.
• Able to lead disclosure lawyers and officers, and to plan and implement an effective disclosure strategy.
• An ability to deal with complex investigative techniques.

Other relevant knowledge, skills and experience

• The ability to prepare, prosecute and progress cases confidently and securely using digital technology.
• Obtaining and using evidence from abroad, jurisdictional issues and human rights.
• Sufficient knowledge of confiscation and Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to be able to handle restraint and confiscation as it may arise in any of the cases which fall within their competency.
• The ability to conduct rape and serious sexual offences cases.

Appreciation of the role of Senior Crown Advocate

• Acts as a role model, and mentor for others.
• Develops and delivers training to others.
• Knowledge of ethical standards and a leader on issues of diversity and difference.
• Comprehends and successfully leads cases of the utmost gravity, complexity and sensitivity.
• Familiarity with, and understanding of, Crown Prosecution Service policy guidance including the Code, the 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 Crown Prosecution Service and the police, particularly in cases where there has been lengthy and complex police investigations.

You also need to demonstrate the Crown Prosecution Service and Civil Service values.

The panel has the right to assess the lead behaviour ‘advocacy’ first. 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.

Qualifications – assessed at application stage

Interview and assessment stage

If you pass the shortlist, you will be invited to attend a legal assessment and interview, which will be held in person, subject to numbers, on a date between 14 and 18 of December 2026. You are assessed and interviewed by a panel of Crown Prosecution Service colleagues, Chaired by a Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, to assess your suitability.

You are responsible for booking your own interview and assessment slot through Civil Service Jobs. Once you’ve selected your preferred time slot we will confirm the details via email.

These dates may be subject to change and it’s not always possible to offer alternative dates.

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

Specific past experience and Skills – assessed at application and interview stage

• You must be a qualified barrister or solicitor with higher courts audience rights experience in criminal law and advocacy particularly within the Crown Court. You must have substantial post-qualified experience, and able to demonstrate practitioner experience in serious criminal casework. This includes oral and written advocacy experience in relation to complex and sensitive cases in the Crown Court, High Court and/or Court of Appeal advocacy.
  • Experience of trial preparation and advocacy in serious and sensitive cases.
  • Experience of providing legal advice to investigators on complex cases, including at the early stage.
  • Able to influence others based on your specialist knowledge.
  • Excellent knowledge and experience of dealing with victims and witnesses and an understanding and application of dealing with vulnerable victims and witnesses.
  • Experience of prosecuting and/or defending at a level commensurate with a Category 3 and/or 4 Counsel.
  • Demonstrates significant case management and strategy skills.
  • Comprehensive knowledge of the disclosure provisions.

Motivation – assessed at interview stage

We want to understand why you’re interested in the law and why you want to work for the Crown Prosecution Service . We are looking for you to address the following three things in your interviews and assessment:

• A demonstrable interest in criminal prosecution and public service
• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the work of the Crown Prosecution Service and our role in the wider criminal justice system.
• A strong focus on continuous learning and the ability to apply knowledge of criminal law gained from study and experience.

Ability: Legal intellect – assessed at application and interview/assessment stage

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

• 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
• 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 and interview stage

• The ability to present a case both orally and in writing in a measured, engaging and persuasive manner. Advanced skills in identifying case theory or strategy and applying these to advocacy.
• Highly developed trial advocacy skills for a range of jury trials in the Crown Court, 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 ability to undertake advocacy in complex multi-handed cases and effectively direct and manage participants in the courtroom.
• The ability to manage extremely sensitive cases reliably including cases with children or vulnerable witnesses.
• The ability to lead a junior and 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.

Behaviours – assessed at interview and assessment stage

We use behaviours to help us understand the experience you have to help you to do a great job in this role. You are assessed against level 4 in the behaviour framework. The behaviours we’re assessing are:

• communicating and influencing
• managing a quality service
• making effective decisions.

Crown Prosecution Service values

We also assess your performance against our values throughout the application process. You can read more about the Crown Prosecution Service and our values on our website

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.

Making offers

Offers and pre-employment checks start the week commencing 21 December 2026.

If you’re successful you may need to complete a refreshed mandatory Crown Prosecution Service crown advocacy training course during the applicable financial year.

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

Information sessions

We will arrange two information sessions on dates between 16 and 27 November 2026.

Email advocacyrecruitment@cps.gov.uk and we will send you the link to this event when date(s) are confirmed.

If you have any questions around the role or selection process, please email advocacyrecruitment@cps.gov.uk to request a frequently asked questions document.

Other

This is a full-time post. However, requests for flexible, part-time working and job share are considered – bearing in mind the operational needs of the business. This role is a mixture of home working, office working and travelling to courts. How this is split depends upon the business needs.

You must consider if the commute from your home to the office is a feasible distance to travel before making an application. If you are successful, this is discussed before you take up the post.

The Crown Prosecution Service is based in England and Wales. If you’re applying for this role and live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you must let us know when accepting this offer as you need permission to work from your home address if hybrid working is part of your role. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee of granting this approval.

The job you are applying for is covered by Article 3(a) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, consequently Section 4(2) of that Act does not apply. For the reasons outlined you are required to disclose all previous convictions and cautions, including spent convictions. Failure to make a full declaration results in the withdrawal of an offer of employment if our checks reveal convictions that have not been disclosed.

We are unable to offer visa sponsorship. If you require visa sponsorship to work in the UK, you will not meet the eligibility criteria for this role.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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 : strategic.resourcing@cps.gov.uk

Further information

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/civilserv…

Attachments

CA Framework 2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 213kB)