Solicitors and barristers who have moved away from the legal profession are to be enticed back in a recruitment drive to help tackle a skills shortage at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

The recruitment drive, led by Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions (DPP), will see specialist criminal law barristers and solicitors being supported back to work for the CPS.

Successful applicants will gain a one-year secondment, with the option to extend by 12 months. After this, they can apply for a permanent role with the CPS or work in a criminal defence law firm or chambers at the self-employed Bar.

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Parkinson told The Times that flexible, “family-friendly” arrangements would be available. “The reason I feel so strongly about this … is because I’ve seen so many talented people leave the legal profession, and in particular the practice of criminal law, and never come back,” he said.

He added that lawyers would be given an intensive one-week training course followed by a “tailored induction plan” based on their needs, with additional mentoring, online guidance and support. He anticipates that applicants “are likely to be in their mid to late thirties and early forties who have taken time away from practice to bring up children”.

The recruitment drive was based on the Teach First scheme, Parkinson said.

Depending on their experience, lawyers will work in a magistrates’ court unit, crown court, rape and serious sexual offences team or other specialist unit, such as the serious economic organised crime and international directorate – or with CPS Direct, the out-of-hours service.

Their main role will be reviewing work, such as advising the police on the sufficiency of evidence, whether further inquiries were needed and making decisions to prosecute. Salaries will range from £54,000 to £61,000 in the regions and £59,000 to £69,000 in London. Successful applicants will gain civil service benefits, including 25 days’ annual leave and a 28.9% contributory pension.

He added that the scheme was not “a covert way of filling our vacancies” and was part of a much broader plan to address the shortage of skills.

The CPS, which employs about 3,000 lawyers, Parkinson said, was short of 160 senior crown prosecutors and had an overall vacancy rate of 8.2%.

The leaders of the Bar Council, Criminal Bar Association and Law Society said they welcomed the CPS recruitment initiative.

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