Crown Prosecution Service launches Go Prosecute – a brand-new barrister development programme

Go Prosecute, a brand-new development programme for newly qualified barristers to gain invaluable prosecution experience, has been launched by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Launching today, a pilot for Go Prosecute will provide a unique opportunity for new barristers at the self-employed Bar to join the Crown Prosecution Service for up to two years before resuming practice in chambers.

Personally championed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, the scheme aims to help new barristers forge a strong relationship with the CPS at the start of their career – benefitting them as they enter self-employed practice in chambers and prosecute cases on behalf of the Crown.

The in-house scheme, inspired by the likes of Teach First and Police Now, is the first of its kind to be offered by the CPS and applications are now live.

Stephen Parkinson, Director of Public Prosecutions, said: “I’m really pleased to announce Go Prosecute, which I want to serve as a launchpad for barristers at the start of their careers.

“We depend on lawyers in private practice for much of our advocacy work and I wanted to create an initiative which provided significant support for those lawyers by giving them the type of insights that can only be gained by working in-house.

“I believe this will be a foundational experience which will benefit successful applicants for the rest of their careers. Had such a scheme been available when I started out, I am certain that I would have applied.”

Successful applicants for the initial pilot will join the CPS at the newly created Crown Advocate 1 (CA1) grade, the entry grade for advocates undertaking prosecution work within the Crown Court.

They will spend the first year working on cases in the magistrates’ court, youth court, and non-contested hearing and appeals in the Crown Court.

If they continue to a second year, they will move on to more complex work involving jury trials.

All successful applicants will receive a full salary and employee benefits.

More than 2,800 self-employed criminal barristers currently sit on the CPS’ quality assured Advocate Panel across England and Wales.

The CPS liaised closely with the Bar Council ahead of today’s launch.

Sam Townend KC, Chair of the Bar Council, said: “Go Prosecute is an excellent initiative that will not only provide invaluable experience and training for early career barristers, but also help to bolster the workforce needed to prosecute cases.

“Employed practice provides to new barristers the opportunity to learn different skills and to widen their expertise. As a profession we are open to greater transference between the employed and self-employed Bar.

“Go Prosecute is an innovative way to support barrister career development, offering a different career path, and will bring much-needed additional prosecution resources into the criminal justice system.”

The programme forms part of a wider push by the Director of Public Prosecutions to boost the CPS’ in-house capacity in a bid address the shortage of barristers and tackle court delays.

This includes increasing the number of CPS prosecution advocates (barristers or solicitors with higher rights of audience) and creating the new CA1 grade to help retain more in-house Trainee Pupil barristers – by giving them better career progression opportunities inside the CPS.

Solicitor General Sarah Sackman KC MP said: “This Government is determined to take the necessary steps to strengthen public confidence in the criminal justice system, in which barristers play a vital role.

“I welcome this brilliant opportunity for barristers to broaden their career opportunities by gaining crucial experience as prosecutors.

“I thoroughly recommend newly qualified barristers to apply to the Go Prosecute scheme so they can get the opportunity to gain valuable first-hand experience of working on some of the most sensitive and complex cases, supported by experienced CPS prosecutors.”