Orla Ellis: Struck-off solicitor hit with €85k Revenue bill

Orla Ellis was struck off the roll of solicitors by the High Court last December in the wake of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal (LPDT) hearing that deficits totaling €566,000 had allegedly built up in her solicitor’s client account.

Now, in the latest blow to Ellis, the Sunday World can reveal the Collector General secured a judgment in the sum of €85,525 against her on April 26.

Details of the judgment were made public on Thursday.

Last December, the High Court heard Ellis was consenting to the order striking her off the roll of solicitors.

In the judgment secured by Revenue, her occupation is listed as ‘lady.’

In September of last year, the LPDT recommended strike off after hearing that deficits totaling in the region of €566,000 had allegedly been allowed to build up in its client account.

The recommendation came after a lawyer for the Law Society said Leitrim solicitor Orla Ellis, daughter of former TD and senator John Ellis, would be “a continuing risk to the public” if she were allowed to continue practicing.

“The conduct involved fraud and dishonesty on the part of Ms Ellis and behavior likely to bring the profession into disrepute,” said barrister Elaine Finneran, for the Law Society.

Tribunal chair Freda McKittrick said Ms Ellis’s conduct was “serious”, “involved dishonesty”, and was “repeated, deliberate and concealed.”

The Tribunal heard the real deficit figure was likely to be much higher as further claims were expected to be made.