Ellie Sutherland
Associate solicitor
Ellie Sutherland is an associate solicitor in the prison team
Ellie is an associate solicitor in the human rights department at Leigh Day. Her work includes:
Ellie has worked in the firm’s prison team since 2018, and has a diverse caseload representing people in prison, with a particular focus on healthcare, discrimination and inquests. She has experience working on public law claims for judicial review, as well as private law claims for compensation under the Equality Act and Human Rights Act. She also has experience with claims for compensation arising out of clinical negligence and personal injury, and representing bereaved families in inquest proceedings following deaths in custody.
Ellie also represents families whose loved ones were killed by someone known by state agencies to pose a risk to others, including dangerous offenders released from prison and subject to probation at the time of the death. You can find further information about this area of work here
Before joining Leigh Day in 2018, Ellie studied Social Anthropology and Politics at the University of Manchester. She obtained a Graduate Diploma in Law from the University of Law in 2019 and completed the Legal Practice Course in 2021.
She has volunteered at a number of human rights organisations including Liberty and Amicus ALJ.
Blogs
Portsmouth man died in prison after drinking hooch and taking non-prescribed medication, inquest finds
A jury has found that Sheldon Jeans from Portsmouth died on or about 13 November 2022 after accessing and consuming alcohol that had been illicitly brewed, or “hooch”, as well as four different medications that had not been prescribed to him, while a prisoner at HMP Guys Marsh, a category C men’s prison, near Shaftesbury, Dorset.
Inquest reveals multiple failings by police and probation service prior to Ashley Walsh’s killing
An inquest into the death of 34-year-old Ashley Walsh heard the police failed to follow up on one of his killers in breach of his licence, just weeks before Ashley’s murder.
Profoundly deaf prisoner was denied sign language interpreter
A profoundly deaf former prisoner was denied a sign language interpreter during his one-year imprisonment.