Steven Perian KC speaking at CPS opening event for South Asian Heritage Month
South Asian Heritage Month was first observed in the UK in 2020. It was established to celebrate, commemorate and educate people about the rich histories, cultures and contributions of South Asian communities, while recognising the enduring connections between the United Kingdom and South Asia. The month provides an opportunity to reflect on the contributions of people with roots in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives and Afghanistan to all aspects of British life.
This year’s theme, “Unity in Diversity,” recognises that South Asia is home to an extraordinary range of cultures, languages, faiths and traditions, and that our strength lies not despite those differences but because of them. The theme invites us to celebrate both our shared values and our unique identities.
For the CPS, that message resonates strongly. Every day, they work with people from different backgrounds, experiences and communities. Their effectiveness as a prosecution service depends on their ability to understand and reflect the diverse society they serve. Unity in diversity means creating an environment where everyone feels valued, respected and able to bring their whole selves to work, while remaining united by their common commitment to justice, fairness and public service.
South Asian Heritage Month therefore provides an important opportunity not only to celebrate heritage and achievement, but also to recognise the contributions of South Asian colleagues, whose talent, dedication and leadership continue to strengthen our organisation and help build public confidence in the criminal justice system.
For the CPS Asian Network this event is an opportunity not only to celebrate heritage and achievement, but also to recognise the value that diversity brings to our profession. The legal community is strengthened by the experiences, perspectives and talents of colleagues from a wide range of backgrounds, and South Asian Heritage Month offers an opportunity to recognise those contributions and to continue important conversations about inclusion and representation.
The opening event is an interview with Steven Perian, who is a King’s Counsel of England and Wales practising from 2 King’s Bench Walk Chambers, London. He has more than three decades of experience in serious and complex criminal law and commercial fraud. His wider practice spans serious and economic crime, international arbitration, mediation, public law, corporate governance, and cross-border disputes.
He is consistently recognised as a Leading Silk in The Legal 500. The Legal 500 has described him as someone who “has an analytical mind and an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law.”
Steven has a truly international practice. He is the first English King’s Counsel admitted to the High Court of Malaya. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, an accredited mediator in the United Kingdom and Malaysia, an arbitrator and mediator with the Asian International Arbitration Centre, a mediator with the Malaysian International Mediation Centre, and is on the List of Counsel at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Alongside his practice, Steven is actively involved in legal education, advocacy training, and mentoring. He has published in respected legal journals, including the Current Law Journal and The Law Review by Thomson Reuters Malaysia, on arbitration, third-party funding, criminal procedure, corporate investigations, and international enforcement. He also serves on Malaysia’s Criminal Law Reform Committee.
In 2025, Steven was featured in Successful People in Malaysia and Singapore. In 2026, he was named Lawyer of the Year at the Peoples’ Awards, presented at the House of Commons under the Public Life category.
