Press release: Recruitment for new Director of Public Prosecutions to be launched

The Attorney General, Jeremy Wright QC MP, has announced the start of recruitment for the next Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The current DPP, Alison Saunders CB, will stand down in October 2018 after serving her full term.

Alison began her 5 year term in November 2013. She will leave the CPS to join the multinational law firm Linklaters.

Commenting on the announcement, the Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC MP said:

I want to thank Alison personally for her service, not only as DPP but as an accomplished CPS Prosecutor whose successful record includes the prosecution of Stephen Lawrence’s killers. I have no doubt that she’ll be greatly missed within the organisation.

‎In recruiting the next DPP we are looking for an extraordinary candidate. The job requires excellent legal judgment, the ability to lead a large organisation and the capacity to work with others in improving the criminal justice system as a whole.

Commenting on the announcement, Alison Saunders said:

It has been a tremendous privilege to serve as the first Director of Public Prosecutions appointed from within the CPS and I am proud of everything the service has achieved over the past five years.

The criminal justice landscape is changing rapidly, as crime trends shift and courts become increasingly digital. Our work is now more complex, with the evolving nature of economic crime, the ongoing terrorism threat and a huge increase in reports of historic sexual abuse. It is testament to the professionalism and dedication of my colleagues that they have responded so effectively, maintaining performance without compromising our principles of fairness and independence.

My priority over the next six months is to keep driving improvements in how we work, with a sharp focus on casework quality. Key to that will be working alongside the police and other partners to find long-term solutions to the disclosure issues that exist throughout the entire criminal justice system.

Recruitment for the next DPP will begin later in April.

The appointment of the Director of Public Prosecutions is for a 5 year term. Only one DPP served longer – Dame Barbara Mills DBE QC who served 6 years.

In the 2013 New Year Honours, Alison was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) “for services to Law and Order especially after the 2011 London Riots”.