General Counsel jobs in London

471084

£61,750 - £71,400

£61,750-£71,400 + £3,150 RRA

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Permanent

CPS - SEOCID International, London and South East Division

Legal Services

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

2

London

What are we offering?

The Extradition Unit provides a key resource across law enforcement and the Criminal Justice System as well liaising with stakeholders across government and internationally. As a Senior Crown Prosecutor (SCP) within Extradition, you will help deliver justice internationally. Your work will be challenging and varied in nature and will involve a variety of tasks.

What does the role entail?

You will prepare and present cases at Westminster Magistrates Court pursuant to the Extradition Act 2003, in relation to requests from Part 1 and Part 2 requesting countries. This includes conducting final extradition hearings on behalf of requesting judicial authorities in relation to Part 1 requests. In addition, you will analyse, review, and prepare cases relating to Part 1 requests, including responding to applications for permission to appeal, and developing an up-to-date knowledge of UK extradition law. You will have a high volume casework portfolio of Part 1 extradition cases. You may also assist Specialist Prosecutors on more complex cases.

Subject to you satisfying the “general qualification” provision within the meaning of section 71 of the Courts and Service Act 1990, the post is 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).

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. There’s no guarantee that we will grant this approval.

You must be aged 18 or over at the point of starting in this role. The expected start date is approximately 8–12 weeks after the application closing date. Candidates are expected to commence employment as soon as possible following the expiry of their notice period. Requests for significantly later start dates may not be accommodated.

Your roles and responsibilities include:

• Demonstrating high levels of advocacy and communication with stakeholders in relation to all cases for which they are accountable so as to maintain public and international confidence in the extradition process.
• Demonstrating a high level of oral and written communication skills in all matters relating to the conduct of extradition cases, in particular the ability to distil and explain complexities to foreign jurisdictions.
• Drafting responses for complaints and parliamentary correspondence.
• Dealing effectively and persuasively with a wide range of people, both within and outside the Service, as part of a multi-skilled team and on an individual basis in order to ensure effective and successful conduct of cases.
• Analysing and reviewing export extradition requests in accordance with the Extradition Act 2003; determining whether any bars to extradition apply; responding to defence challenges to extradition and advising requesting States upon the conduct of extradition proceedings and draft requests for further information.
• Reviewing files from CPS Areas in import extradition cases to determine their suitability for extradition.
• Preparing instructions for counsel.
• Analysing, reviewing, preparing and conducting proceedings in less complex export extradition requests in Westminster Magistrates’ Court and the High Court; assisting Specialist Prosecutors on more complex cases: and reviewing non - Part 1 import cases to determine their suitability for extradition.
• Undertaking advocacy in Westminster Magistrates’ Court for at least two days a week in relation to all export extradition cases.

A copy of the full job description is attached.

To be eligible to apply, you need to:

• Be a qualified practising solicitor or barrister holding a valid Practising Certificate for England and Wales.
• Have a law degree, Common Professional Examination and/or Graduate Diploma in Law.
• Have completed a Legal Practice Course, Solicitors Qualifying Exam or Bar Professional Training Course and 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.

or

• You must be a Fellow of CILEx and a CILEx Advocate/Litigator holding all three advocacy certificates providing you with a ‘general qualification’ within the meaning of s.71 (3) (c) Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. You must have a right of audience in relation to any class of proceedings in any part of the Senior Courts, or all proceedings in county courts or magistrates' courts in order to meet the requirements for a Crown Prosecutor specified by section 1 Prosecution of Offences Act 1985. If you don’t hold this CILEx qualification, you’re not eligible to apply for this vacancy. If you’re unsure whether you have qualified through CILEx, contact us to establish your eligibility for this role.

If you apply and are found not to possess any of the above, any offer of employment will be withdrawn, or contract terminated.

Equivalent qualifications won’t be accepted. If you’re unsure about your eligibility, please contact Calum.Chisholm@cps.gov.uk

The eligibility criteria must be met by 14/07/2026. If you’re able to obtain a valid Practising Certificate and will be fully qualified by this date, you’re eligible to apply.

Should there be any restrictions or special arrangements regarding your Practising certificate, we would ask you to inform us at the earliest opportunity, via email.

Legally qualified: You must be a qualified solicitor or barrister able to obtain a valid Practising Certificate for England and Wales by 14/07/2026

If you’re a CILEx lawyer, you must be a Fellow of CILEx and a CILEx Advocate/Litigator holding all three advocacy certificates providing you with a ‘general qualification’ within the meaning of s71(3)(c) Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. You must have a right of audience in relation to any class of proceedings in any part of the Senior Courts, or all proceedings in County Court or magistrates' courts, to meet the requirements for a Crown Prosecutor as specified by section 1 Prosecution of Offences Act 1985. If you don’t meet this definition, you’re not eligible to apply for this vacancy. If you’re unsure whether you have qualified through CILEx, contact us to establish your eligibility for this role.

Solicitors - You must hold a qualifying law degree or equivalent, have passed the Common Professional Examination or Graduate Diploma in Law and/or the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), have completed two years of qualifying work experience and be admitted to the roll of solicitors by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or have full exemption from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Barristers - You must hold a qualifying law degree (or Common Professional Examination or Graduate Diploma in Law), have completed the Bar Training/Practice Course (also known as the Bar Professional Training Course), been formally called to the Bar and successfully completed pupillage, or have full exemption from the Bar Standards Board.

We don’t accept equivalent qualifications. If you’re unsure about your eligibility contact Calum.Chisholm@cps.gov.uk

You must be a fully qualified solicitor or barrister at the point of application. If successful, we must receive your practising certificate as soon as possible. We won’t be able to progress pre-employment checks until we’ve received your practising certificate has been received, and a deadline for this may be set in line with business need. If you’re able to meet these requirements by this date, you’re eligible to apply.

If there are any restrictions or special arrangements about your practising certificate, let us know by email as soon as possible.

If we find you don’t have any of these academic and professional qualifications, we will withdraw your offer of employment or terminate your contract

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.
If CILEx qualified, you must hold a ‘general qualification’ within the meaning of s.71 (3) (c) Courts and Legal Services Act 1990.

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

Alongside your salary of £61,750, Crown Prosecution Service contributes £17,888 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides .

Join the Crown Prosecution Service and find your purpose.

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
• lawyer training programme for all new prosecutors
• 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.

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 Calum.Chisholm@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. There is an expectation that you 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.

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

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

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Job contact :

• Name : Calum Chisholm
• Email : Calum.Chisholm@cps.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : strategic.resourcing@cps.gov.uk