The Lawyer Inquiry: Richard Atkins

Richard Atkins was born in Newport Pagnell on 4 November 1955. He is now the Principle Crown Prosecutor at the CPS central casework division.

What was your first job?

Stage hand at the Royal Shakespeare Company.



What was your first ever salary as a lawyer?

£13,000pa.



What would you have done if you hadn’t become a lawyer?

Criminologist.



Which law could you live without?

Dangerous Dogs Act.



What was your most embarrassing professional moment?

Being mistaken for a defence lawyer.



What car do you drive?

An old Ford Escort.



Which famous person would you like to go out with?

Helen Mirren.



Where would you go to eat?

Spaghetti Opera in Fleet Street, London.



What’s the best thing on TV?

Inspector Morse. It has nothing to do with real crime



Which movie do you wish you’d appeared in?

2010 - as an astronaut.



What’s your most often-worn piece of clothing?

An old black leather jacket.



What book(s) are you reading at the moment?

Archbold as I’m trying to study for a Solicitor’s Higher Courts Rights Certificate.



What is your all-time favourite record?

Rubber Soul by the Beatles.



What piece of advice would you give to anyone entering the profession now?

Get a place in a City firm.



What do you like about yourself?

I’ve started riding a horse again after a bad accident.



What do you hate about yourself?

I worry about falling off.



Where would you most like to be right now?

Drinking coffee in St Mark’s Square, Venice.