Parkinson, who succeeds outgoing DPP Max Hill KC, is due to begin his new role at the helm of who will take up office at the helm of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in November for an initial term of five years.
He joined Kingsley Napley in 2006, moving from head of criminal litigation to senior partner in 2018. Prior to that, worked in government including at three of the Law Officers’ Departments: the Attorney General’s Office, Treasury Solicitor’s Department and as a CPS prosecutor.
Parkinson is dual qualified as a solicitor and barrister, having completed his pupillage at 3 Temple Gardens in 1982 after a degree at University College London. He qualified as a solicitor in 2005.
Victoria Prentis KC, the Attorney General, said: ‘Stephen has had a stellar legal career both in and outside of government as well as experience of both prosecuting and defending.
‘Combining this with his extensive track record of leadership, I have every confidence he will be a collaborative director and a principled and independent chief prosecutor. The public will rightly expect nothing less.
“He will build on the achievements of Max Hill to whom I am grateful. The role of DPP requires exceptional qualities of judgement and character.’
Parkinson said: ‘Both as a prosecutor and defender I have always strongly believed in the importance of the CPS in bringing to justice and prosecuting fairly those accused of crime.
‘I would like to pay tribute to the work that Max Hill has done leading the CPS successfully through the challenges of the pandemic and setting a clear direction for the future. I look forward to building on his legacy.’
