Two Canberra lawyers tried to deter former partner from owed $500k
Acting Justice Audrey Balla found the law firm was placed into voluntary administration to "obtain an advantage in this litigation".
Two Canberra lawyers, Benjamin Aulich and Peter Woodhouse, have been found to have tried to stop a former partner, Erin Taylor, from claiming a $500,000 entitlement. Taylor took action against the law firm, Aulich Civil Law, seeking a refund or buyback of her 25% share in the firm she had purchased in 2019. The court ruled that Aulich and Woodhouse had taken steps to deter Taylor from pursuing her contractual rights.
They failed to respond to her repeated inquiries about the payment, blocked her communication channels, and even blocked her emails to the firm. Woodhouse also publicly humiliated Taylor in a cafe, humiliating her in front of colleagues and clients. The court found that Aulich and Woodhouse breached their agreement by not purchasing the shares, which should have been paid within a month of Taylor's last day. The court is set to issue further orders and determine costs at a later date.
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