Howard Ellis was at Latham & Watkins for over a decade
A former Latham & Watkins employee who made indecent photos of a child has been barred from working in legal practice.
Howard Ellis was employed as a ‘workplace experience specialist’ at the firm from May 2012 until July 2022, according to a decision published by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
In April 2022, he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of a child, one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child, and one count of possessing extreme pornographic images.
Ellis was sentenced to ten months imprisonment at Woolwich Crown Court in July 2022 and made subject to a ten-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO). Latham & Watkins terminated his employment and notified the regulator the same month.
“The offence makes it undesirable for Mr Ellis to be involved in a legal practice because of the nature of his convictions (four sexual offences relating to children),” the SRA said. “In giving a custodial sentence and a ten-year SHPO this shows the seriousness of the conviction. The nature and seriousness of the convictions damages public confidence and trust in the profession.”
Ellis was handed a section 43 order meaning he’s unable to work within legal practice and ordered to pay the £300 costs of the investigation.
Earlier this month the SRA published a decision relating to ex-Freshfields eBilling administrator Rafikul Ashrafi, who was convicted for voyeurism and making indecent photos of a child.