Apply for the Crown Prosecution Service legal trainee scheme now and start your training pathway in October 2027. Applications close on Wednesday 4 February 2026.
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© Crown Prosecution Service
Ever wondered what a pupillage is like at the CPS? This Q and A provides an insight into the training, experience and next steps
I’m Theo and I’m a pupil barrister at the Crown Prosecution Service. I will become a crown advocate.
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 almost every day, either in the magistrates’ court or the Crown Court. I also had the opportunity to do a secondment with chambers, where I shadowed defence counsel for two weeks.
In my second six, I was handling cases myself from the very start. I began with one or two cases a day, mostly plea and trial preparation hearings. More recently, I’ve been managing around four cases a day and, during that time, I’ve been able to have those cases allocated to me.
Having the support of being in employed practice, rather than self-employed, really stood out to me. It gave me an extra level of security so that I could focus on my own development and training.
Working on cases objectively and ensuring everything is done correctly is paramount to me and to the Crown Prosecution Service.
I knew that the level of training I would receive at the Crown Prosecution Service would be second to none, and that is something I have truly benefitted from. Anything I need for day-to-day legal practice is already paid for and available to me.
I have ready access to resources such as Archbold, Westlaw, Blackstone’s and LexisNexis. The teamwork and support have been invaluable in my training, whether from my supervisor, line manager or even senior colleagues. No question is considered silly. I can ask anyone in the Crown Prosecution Service for help, and they are more than happy to help.
Every pupil or staff member receives an individual learning account worth £350, which can be used to develop their own skills. The Civil Service pension is excellent, and you can accrue flexi leave if you have worked additional hours beyond your usual schedule.
I will be handling appeals against conviction in due course, and I already have a couple scheduled for quite serious offences. This experience is really setting me up well for eventually conducting jury trials.
At the end of my pupillage, I have a guaranteed job. The options are to work as either a crown advocate or a crown prosecutor. The crown advocate role is very advocacy-based and involves work in both the magistrates’ and Crown Court. Advocacy suits me best so I’ve opted for the crown advocate role.
Are you an aspiring barrister with an interest in criminal law?
Apply for the Crown Prosecution Service legal trainee scheme now and start your training pathway in October 2027. Applications close on Wednesday 4 February 2026.
I’m Theo and I’m a pupil barrister at the Crown Prosecution Service. I will become a crown advocate.
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 almost every day, either in the magistrates’ court or the Crown Court. I also had the opportunity to do a secondment with chambers, where I shadowed defence counsel for two weeks.
In my second six, I was handling cases myself from the very start. I began with one or two cases a day, mostly plea and trial preparation hearings. More recently, I’ve been managing around four cases a day and, during that time, I’ve been able to have those cases allocated to me.
Having the support of being in employed practice, rather than self-employed, really stood out to me. It gave me an extra level of security so that I could focus on my own development and training.
Working on cases objectively and ensuring everything is done correctly is paramount to me and to the Crown Prosecution Service.
I knew that the level of training I would receive at the Crown Prosecution Service would be second to none, and that is something I have truly benefitted from. Anything I need for day-to-day legal practice is already paid for and available to me.
I have ready access to resources such as Archbold, Westlaw, Blackstone’s and LexisNexis. The teamwork and support have been invaluable in my training, whether from my supervisor, line manager or even senior colleagues. No question is considered silly. I can ask anyone in the Crown Prosecution Service for help, and they are more than happy to help.
Every pupil or staff member receives an individual learning account worth £350, which can be used to develop their own skills. The Civil Service pension is excellent, and you can accrue flexi leave if you have worked additional hours beyond your usual schedule.
I will be handling appeals against conviction in due course, and I already have a couple scheduled for quite serious offences. This experience is really setting me up well for eventually conducting jury trials.
At the end of my pupillage, I have a guaranteed job. The options are to work as either a crown advocate or a crown prosecutor. The crown advocate role is very advocacy-based and involves work in both the magistrates’ and Crown Court. Advocacy suits me best so I’ve opted for the crown advocate role.
Are you an aspiring barrister with an interest in criminal law?
Apply for the Crown Prosecution Service legal trainee scheme now and start your training pathway in October 2027. Applications close on Wednesday 4 February 2026.
Ever wondered what a pupillage is like at the CPS? This Q and A provides an insight into the training, experience and next steps
Far-ranging month for the Chair of the Bar
Endometriosis Awareness North, a charity raising awareness of endometriosis and supporting those affected across the North of England, has received a £500 boost from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the most recent data on alcohol misuse in the UK, and the implications for alcohol testing in family proceedings
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how tailored financial planning can help barristers take control of their finances and plan with confidence
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Jemima Coleman and Zoë Leventhal KC on the evolving global movement seeking to reframe how we view nature: to recognise that nature possesses inherent rights and to enshrine these rights in law
Is the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office process fit for purpose? Women barristers’ experiences of bullying are not being reported or, if they are, they are not making it through the system, says Tana Adkin KC
Review by Daniel Barnett
Chair of the Bar reports back
The client’s best interests could be well-served by sharing the advocacy with junior counsel more often than you might think – Naomi Cunningham and Charlotte Eves explore some less orthodox ways to divide the speaking role
