Associate
Ellie Cornish has extensive experience in acting for individuals whose human rights have been breached by state bodies, officials and agents.
Ellie currently works alongside Daniel Machover, Toby Wilton and Helen Stone on behalf of a group of the bereaved, survivors and former residents of Grenfell Tower in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and associated civil litigation.
Ellie has extensive experience advocating on behalf of people who have been failed by state bodies and, in particular, by the criminal justice system. She advises individuals on civil claims for compensation, public law challenges and in police complaints. In inquests, Ellie has represented families of those who have lost their lives following contact with public authorities or whilst in state custody.
Ellie believes in the importance of establishing strong, trusting and comfortable working relationships with her clients, so that they feel supported to engage directly in what can be long and intimidating processes in order to obtain compensation for and acknowledgement of their experiences.
Ellie joined Hickman and Rose’s Civil Department in August 2019, having worked as a solicitor specialising in police actions and civil liberties at a number of London firms.
Prior to qualifying in 2015, Ellie also represented parties in care proceedings brought by local authorities, and advised and assisted care leavers and people with disabilities to enable them to access the support and care they were entitled to receive from the state.
This gave Ellie a practical understanding of how the various arms of the state intersect with each other and can interfere with individuals’ human rights. This continues to inform the holistic approach she takes to her work.
Ellie is a member of the Police Action Lawyers Group (PALG), the Inquest Lawyers Group (ILG) and is on the Legal Reference Panel for the Centre for Women’s Justice.
Ellie currently represents a group of the bereaved, survivors and former residents of Grenfell Tower, having been involved in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry since December 2017.
For any public inquiry to achieve lasting social change, it is imperative that its individual core participants feel empowered to engage with it. Through her client-focused approach, Ellie supports her clients make their voices heard, to shape and contribute to the processes set up to effect change, and to ensure that lessons are learned and their experiences are never repeated.
Ellie has settled claims for significant financial compensation on behalf of people who have been wrongfully detained and wrongfully prosecuted by the police, assaulted by police or prison officers, and for prisoners who have been seriously assaulted by other prisoners.
Ellie has experience acting for individuals who have been subjected by police to an unlawful ‘stop and search’ and for people whose homes have been unlawfully entered and searched by the police. In such circumstances, she can assist in obtaining an apology, financial compensation and the prevention of further interference.
Ellie is particularly determined to advocate for victims of crime in relation to investigative failures by police forces and the CPS. She has achieved various successes in this area, including challenging a CPS decision not to prosecute in respect of a non-therapeutic circumcision procured by deception. The decision to ultimately charge – and the ensuing criminal conviction – are thought to be the first of their kind.
Ellie has also worked successfully to prevent the unlawful disclosure of DBS information that would have otherwise severely impacted her clients’ livelihoods.
Ellie helps clients navigate the complex police complaints process, maximising the prospect of a favourable outcome and preventing reccurrences of their experiences for themselves and others. Where necessary, she can also provide advice and assistance in preparing appeals against the outcomes of police complaint investigations.
7 Nov 2024
Hickman & Rose’s Ellie Cornish has commented on the death of Wayne Bayley, whose family she represented at inquest.
Mr Bayley, who had the inherited blood disorder sickle…
7 Nov 2024
Hickman & Rose is proud to be recognised again in The Times newspaper’s 2025 list of the best law firms in England and Wales.
Hickman & Rose has been a staple of The Times’ list since it…
22 Oct 2024
Head of Civil Litigation Daniel Machover and associate Ellie Cornish have been quoted in the media following the verdict in the criminal prosecution of the police officer who shot Chris Kaba.
In a…
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