The sacked solicitor for property developer Salim Mehajer has launched an extraordinary attack on his former client, claiming he is owed unpaid legal expenses.
Mr Mehajer today withdrew his application in the Federal Court to overturn his bankruptcy, citing that he needed time for his new legal team to get on top of the case.
The former Auburn deputy mayor told the court that he had to sack his previous solicitor Eidan Havas because he was "incompetent".
"Eidan told me it was under control. He talked the talk," Mr Mehajer said.
"It was all brilliant. But it was not the case."
His former solicitor reacted furiously, calling a media conference outside the court.
"He has thrown me under the bus. I would describe him as incompetent," Mr Havas said.
"If he has done anything wrong he can't take the blame for himself.
"It is always somebody else's fault."
Mr Havas said he was representing Mr Mehajer in about 20 different matters and had engaged barristers on his behalf, but was not paid.
"Had Mr Mehajer done what we had told him to do we would have been in a position to proceed today," he said.
The court was due to commence a two-day hearing this morning into the businessman's application to annul his bankruptcy.
Instead it was abandoned.
'This isn't a suburban golf club'
A new legal team for Mr Mehajer this morning applied to adjourn the application because they had only received a 400-page affidavit on the case late yesterday.
"This isn't a suburban golf club where fixtures are changed at the whim of participants," Justice Michael Lee told Mr Mehajer's legal team.
"There is not a jot or tittle of evidence to explain why steps were not taken to fit the timetable."
The court was also told that Mr Mehajer is also due to be sentenced tomorrow in the Local Court for electoral fraud.
Mr Mehajer — represented by a barrister and three lawyers on his new legal team — scribbled notes during the hearing.
The court heard that he had put $50,000 into a trust account to pay for his new legal team.
Earlier, counsel for the bankruptcy trustee, Roger Marshall SC, described Mr Mehajer's argument for revoking the bankruptcy as "immature".
Mr Marshall told the court investigations revealed Mr Mehajer has negative assets of $11.6 million.
Justice Lee said there was no evidence of incompetence on behalf of his former solicitor.
After withdrawing his application, Mr Mehajer told the media that he will re-apply to overturn his bankruptcy another time.
