Wellington, May 17 NZPA - Quirky lawyer Rob Moodie pushed an employee into investing in his firm and sought to ruin her career when the relationship went sour, a court was told today.

The long-running dispute between Dr Moodie, his wife Suzanne and lawyer Elizabeth Strachan continued at an employment relations hearing at Wellington District Court today.

Ms Strachan, who gave evidence in March, said she was still owed money when she was dismissed from Moodie & Co in 2006.

She also said the Moodies abused their position by getting her to invest in their Feilding offices.

Giving evidence today Dr Moodie, who is representing himself, said he never encouraged Ms Strachan to invest and only allowed her to do so because they were friends.

"There was never any encouragement whatsoever. I didn't want her money, I didn't need it," he said.

Ms Strachan's lawyer, Peter Churchman, said Dr Moodie approached Ms Strachan to try to "extract her life savings" from an Australian investment scheme.

"You could tell Ms Strachan was upset at having to break her investment in order to purchase the property," he said.

Her money was still tied up in the property and Mr Moodie had blocked her attempt to place the property company in liquidation, he said.

Outside the hearing, Mr Churchman said it was "much, much more" than a constructive dismissal case and the central issue was "did he (Mr Moodie) make her some promises?"

Dr Moodie had denied Ms Strachan was an employee and had failed to pay her what she was owed, Mr Churchman said.

Dr Moodie also sued Ms Strachan for defamation and attempted to destroy her career, he said.

He officially changed his name to Miss Alice in the registrar of births, deaths, and marriages to make the name change legal.

He also applied to the High Court to have his name changed on the roll of barristers and solicitors, and the Law Society had been advised.

He has already worn an Alice in Wonderland outfit to the Court of Appeal and said he would continue to wear women's clothes for court appearances.

The married father-of-three has previously worn kaftans as a protest at macho culture.

He returned to wearing women's clothing in 2006 as a protest against what he claimed was the corrupt way King Country farmers Margaret and Keith Berryman were treated after an army-built bridge on their farm collapsed, killing the man who was driving across it.

The hearing is continuing.

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