Phillippa Ellis

Principal Associate | Commercial Disputes | Business Crime and Investigations

Recent work

  • Acting as the prosecutor on an investigation into a corporate and Bribery and Corruption by a mining company in West Africa.
  • Leading complex investigations into corporates and individuals suspected of fraud, bribery and corruption, and money laundering in the UK and overseas. These included an investigation into suspected fraud within the steel industry, and a bribery investigation into the award of a contract for printing currency in East Africa.
  • Acting as part of the SFO team investigating and prosecuting the fraudulent manipulation of LIBOR.
  • Defending a case concerning the sale of counterfeit batteries from China including reaching an agreeable settlement of the Proceeds of Crime application.
  • Representing witnesses in significant HMRC and SFO investigations into tax fraud and bribery and corruption, assisting with the drafting of witness statements and providing advice on legal requirements.
  • Successfully defending companies suspected of offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 resulting in the investigations being discontinued
  • Defending clients suspected of fraudulent conduct and offences under the Financial Markets and Services Act 2000. The allegations arose out of the activities of the companies in which they held senior managerial positions resulting in no charges being brought.
  • Conducting an investigation on behalf of a public body regarding complaints made in relation to an operational case team conducting a criminal investigation.

Expertise

  • Business Crime and Investigations 
  • Commercial Disputes 
  • Commercial Litigation 
  • FCA Investigations 
  • Internal Investigations 
  • Corporate criminal liability 
  • Economic and financial crime 
  • Fraud 
  • Bribery & corruption 
  • Money laundering 

Phillippa leads our business crime and investigations team.

Phillippa works alongside colleagues from across the firm, to help clients develop strategies for identifying and managing risks associated with business crime and regulatory breaches.

She has extensive experience in all aspects of criminal litigation from interviews under caution to hearings in the Court of Appeal, and in a wide variety of offences including fraud, unlawful deaths and misconduct in public office.

Phillippa joined us from the Serious Fraud Office where she investigated financial and economic crime. She has worked alongside domestic and overseas agencies including the US Department of Justice and the Financial Conduct Authority.

Phillippa has led teams investigating corporates and individuals suspected of large scale, complex fraud and bribery & corruption often involving multiple jurisdictions. She was part of the team investigating LIBOR benchmark manipulation.

Phillippa is an employed Barrister. Prior to joining the SFO, Phillippa specialised in criminal law as both a solicitor and a barrister.

Speaking engagements:

  • Serious Fraud Office: Update on recent case work – Fraud Advisory Panel
  • Use of compelled material in criminal investigations – Cambridge Symposium

Expertise

  • Business Crime and Investigations
  • Commercial Disputes
  • Commercial Litigation
  • FCA Investigations
  • Internal Investigations
  • Corporate criminal liability
  • Economic and financial crime
  • Fraud
  • Bribery & corruption
  • Money laundering
Cegin

Recent work

Fraudulent conduct and offences
Defending clients suspected of fraudulent conduct and offences under the Financial Markets and Services Act 2000. The allegations arose out of the activities of the companies in which they held senior managerial positions resulting in no charges being brought.

Public body investigation
Conducting an investigation on behalf of a public body regarding complaints made in relation to an operational case team conducting a criminal investigation. 

Unregulated Collective Investment Schemes
Acting for and negotiating an outcome for two groups of claimants who collectively invested over £20m in two fraudulent Unregulated Collective Investment Schemes.  

Bribery and Corruption case
Leading complex investigations into corporates and individuals suspected of fraud, bribery and corruption, and money laundering in the UK and overseas. These included an investigation into suspected fraud within the steel industry, and a bribery investigation into the award of a contract for printing currency in East Africa and acting as the prosecutor on an investigation into a corporate and Bribery and Corruption by a mining company in West Africa.

Fraudulent manipulation of LIBOR
Acting as part of the SFO team investigating and prosecuting the fraudulent manipulation of LIBOR.

Proceeds of Crime application in China
Defending a case concerning the sale of counterfeit batteries from China including reaching an agreeable settlement of the Proceeds of Crime application. 

Testimonials

  • Phillippa Ellis has a strong background in regulatory work, with a focus in recent years on large-scale commercial litigation which makes her particularly well suited to professional negligence claims and claims against professionals involving fraud.

    Legal 500, 2024