a day ago
Raunchy texts, phone sex and a DNA test on a dress: Inside the explosive falling out between high-profile criminal lawyer Adam Houda and his female intern - an ex-sex worker
He is the high-profile criminal defence lawyer famous for representing sports stars, accused bikies and terror suspects - and she was his intern who just happened to have once been a sex worker.
Now a court stoush between Sydney solicitor Adam Houda and his former intern-turned-Darwin-lawyer Hana Seraphim is set to explode with evidence about racy texts, DNA on a dress and phone sex.
Sexualised messages between Ms Seraphim and Mr Houda emerged last week ahead of a hearing of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal, after a push by the high-profile lawyer to have the case proceed behind closed doors was defeated.
Ms Seraphim had worked at Mr Houda's Sydney law firm for three weeks under the Legal Internship Program from December 2020 until February 2021, while she was still studying at the University of Wollongong.
Texts Mr Houda sent Ms Seraphim included one where he told her 'I want to put you in the doggy position', according to a recent report of a preliminary hearing by the Canterbury-Bankstown Express.
Daily Mail Australia has been told the messages were among thousands sent over a period of months and were sent as part of a consensual 'sexting' relationship where she also allegedly sent explicit private messages about 'f***ing'.
A legal source close to Mr Houda, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the 49-year-old Mr Houda admitted to a flirtatious relationship and phone sex with Ms Seraphim.
But the source stressed that, despite the 'sexting' the two had conducted, they never actually had sex, and Mr Houda is expected to strenuously defend his innocence to claims he sexually harassed her.
The dispute between Ms Seraphim and Mr Houda allegedly erupted after one of his 'very heavy duty bikie' clients recogised Ms Seraphim - due to her former career - and warned the lawyer: 'I don't want that girl anywhere near my files'.
Daily Mail Australia has been told the bikie spotted Ms Seraphim with a barrister at a court hearing and raised the alarm because he recognised her as a client of some of his associates.
Ms Seraphim then admitted her past work in the sex industry and reportedly begged Mr Houda to be allowed to stay on, but was told because of her past associations it would be ethically impossible to continue with a practice such as Lawyers Corp.
Ms Seraphim has since claimed that she was sexually harassed and victimised while working at Lawyers Corp as an intern - allegations that will soon be heard at an NCAT hearing, with dozens of witnesses expected.
It is understood the hearing was set down after Ms Seraphim's claims against Mr Houda were previously investigated by the NSW Police, the NSW Legal Services Commissioner and the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board.
No charges were laid or findings made and Mr Houda is not the subject of any ongoing criminal investigation into the matter.
An attempt by Mr Houda to keep the contents of his text messages suppressed recently failed at hearing.
It is understood investigations have occurred into whether male DNA material was present on a dress has been part of investigations conducted to date. It was not present.
The Canterbury-Bankstown express reported that Ms Seraphim is seeking damages from Mr Houda and orders that he undergo a mandatory training course and make a donation to sex worker organisation the Scarlet Alliance.
Her LinkedIn page says she has worked as a policy officer to the Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) in NSW and in Queensland, where she advised on the proposed decriminalisation of the industry.
She has also worked at Anthony Mason chambers and as a summary court prosecutor in the Northern Territory for the last year.
The source close to Mr Houda said he was confident the solicitor could adequately fight the claims and was keen to do so. Daily Mail Australia has sought responses from both Mr Houda, Ms Seraphim and Lawyers Corp.
The case is expected to be listed in NCAT's Administrative and Equal Opportunity Division.
