While with the District Attorney's office, Perkins prosecuted many of the city's gang leaders, labor racketeers and other underworld figures during the early 20th century.

[1] He entered private practice with Edward C. Bailey and, two years later, was an assistant to the prosecution during the Lexow Committee investigation.

Perkins was involved in drawing up plans for the consolidation of present-day New York City and, in 1897, he was named Deputy Assistant District Attorney by William M.K.

[3][4][5][6][7] He was nominated for re-election by the New York Republicans over Frank Moss but lost the election to Judge Edward Swann in November 1915, and resumed his private practice at the beginning of 1916.

In June 1928, Perkins was named prosecutor by Moreland Commissioner Robert Moses in the state investigation of the Banking Department and the cases arising from the failure of the City Trust Company.

He married Miriam Nancy Shelton Rogers and together had a son, Albert Perkins, who was born a year after their marriage on August 27, 1904.