When a top Canberra lawyer's illustrious career went down in flames, in part due to a "bawdy" weekend of shirtless dancing and pants-removing, it left the already tainted reputation of an established firm in tatters.
A new firm with a majority of female partners has risen from the ashes, and the owners promise to deliver Canberra's most friendly and flexible law practice.
Two former partners and a senior associate from disgraced lawyer Ben Aulich's law firm have embarked on a new enterprise - CODA Criminal Law.
From the name to staff and office, CODA is determined to distance itself from the controversial Aulich, who has been prevented from practicing law due to money laundering conspiracy charges he faces in the ACT Supreme Court. He has pleaded not guilty.
He was separately fined and found guilty of professional misconduct for his behaviour at a staff retreat where he danced shirtless during a drinking game.
'Entirely separate from and different to Aulich'
Aulich, the law firm, represented clients in civil and criminal matters. It had four partners.
Aulich headed up the civil side of the firm with Erin Taylor, who left in April and is now a partner at Kamy Saeedi Law.
Ms Taylor was also, at least at one point, Aulich's real-life partner, seen holding his hand in support as he faced money laundering allegations.
Peter Woodhouse and Charlene Chalker-Harris were Aulich's other partners, working on criminal matters.
Aulich was wound up in August to make way for CODA, a new firm run by Mr Woodhouse, Ms Chalker-Harris and Satomi Hamon, a former senior associate at Aulich.
Civil clients from Aulich have been passed on, while criminal clients continue to be represented by CODA - with a notable exception.
In early August, Mr Woodhouse stopped representing Aulich as a defence lawyer in the money laundering matters.
Aulich's departure from the firm presented an opportunity for the lawyers, Mr Woodhouse said.
"Charlene, Satomi and I have put a lot of thought into the firm that we want to have start, run, grow, and that includes a different culture," he said.
"We wanted to start a new firm with a different focus and it is entirely separate from and different to Aulich."
Beyond one personality
A letter from a former employee to the ACT Law Society suggests Aulich, the firm, had a sullied reputation within Canberra's legal community.
"It seriously concerns me that [the law firm Aulich] appears to think it is funny and/or trivial that people outside the firm hold certain beliefs about the firm, which are disparaging not only in respect of those who work there, but also reflect poorly on the firm's credibility as a law practice. It also gives me concern for my reputation and future as a legal practitioner," she wrote.
Now Aulich has been erased.
A corner building on Farrell Place, also home to the ACT Law Society, once featured his name prominently.
It has been replaced with that of a local software company while CODA founders are still unpacking boxes in their office on Hobart Place.
The website has also been shut down.
CODA's founders want to ensure their new venture is never overshadowed by any particular personality.
The firm's name intentionally bucks the law firm convention of using partners' surnames, Ms Hamon said.
"Everyone viewed us under Aulich as part of Ben Aulich and what he would do would then reflect on the staff and we wanted CODA to be all the staff together working towards the same focus and in the interests of the business," she said.
"Rather than we're propping up the partners or one person, it's more of a collaborative approach."
New culture
In defending himself against claims by the ACT Law Society, Aulich admitted to encouraging irreverence at his firm. However, he insisted there was no targeted sexual harassment or bullying.
"We are unashamedly not like other law firms or public sector workplaces that are often conservative, that frown upon office 'banter' and that do not allow swearing or joking around," he wrote in a ten-page letter he called embarrassing.
While Ms Chalker-Harris agreed there was no intentional harassment at Aulich, she said CODA was determined to ensure a professional and safe working environment.
"Irrespective of what happened at Aulich, how people perceived things, how people experienced things ... Satomi, Peter and I have full awareness that we don't want even the remotest suggestion of that," she said.
"We're being really careful that we're creating a new culture so that irrespective of what might have happened at Aulich, we're not going to have any of that. We want a clean slate and a really fresh slate, and I think we're off to a really good start."
'Handpicked' team
Aulich had about 20 staff members. Nine of those, including the partners, are now working at CODA. This includes criminal solicitor Carley Hitchins and admin staff, Mr Woodhouse said.
"I basically brought my team, which are really good people," he said.
Ms Chalker-Harris said they handpicked staff "that are going to really nail down that culture for us".
"It was really deliberate and we had numerous conversations about who we wanted," she said.
"[Creating CODA has] provided us with a really good opportunity to look at things from a fresh perspective including selecting the staff that are going to best enhance the culture that we're really keen to promote."
Ms Hamon said "we don't want the inference [that] because a majority of staff are the same [at CODA as at Aulich], therefore the culture will translate because I genuinely don't think anyone that's come across ever engaged in that culture".
Flexible, family-focused and friendly
CODA Criminal Law will not just have a different culture to Aulich, but also avoid the pressure and long hours found at other law firms.
"Our focus at CODA is that everyone is and feels valued," Ms Chalker-Harris said.
"Everyone has a say and as a workplace we are extremely supportive and inclusive. We do what we can to accommodate and support staff."
CODA is also Canberra's only criminal law firm with a majority of female partners, Ms Hamon said.
Mr Woodhouse and Ms Chalker-Harris both have young children and want CODA to be a flexible workplace, allowing staff to achieve work-life balance.
"The culture we have is really quite substantially different from most firms," Ms Chalker-Harris said.
"To have a workplace that genuinely promotes work-life balance is pretty unusual because there tends to be this badge of honour for being the last one in the office, and we're really keen to avoid that."
