A recent law graduate in Melbourne was fired from her position after posting a critical video about her job on TikTok, detailing the intense workload and lack of work-life balance.
Natali Curukovski, who had been practicing for only three weeks, shared her frustrations in a video that gained significant traction online. She described the role as "soul-sucking" and highlighted the constant deadlines, pressure, and after-hours work that left her with little personal time. "It's like I did seven years of all of this to just go back and do the same thing," she stated in the video, adding that the profession "isn't really supportive of a lifestyle."
Curukovski's video amassed over 300,000 views, with many users commiserating and sharing similar experiences, while others pointed out the demanding nature of early legal careers. Despite the widespread engagement, her employer ultimately terminated her employment.
In an update posted over the weekend, Curukovski described the termination conversation as "awkward" and "confronting." She maintained that her intention was not to disparage the firm but to voice the common experience of junior lawyers. "I didn't make that TikTok to put the firm in disrepute - I didn't mention names, I didn't mention client files, I didn't mention the firm and the name of the business," she explained. "I was merely talking about the experience of junior lawyers."
She also revealed that she was prepared to leave the role regardless of the TikTok video, stating she was "ready to walk away from that role the second I started getting more engagement here." Curukovski asserted that she "stood her ground" when asked to remove the video.
Her former employer, however, presented a different account of the workplace. A spokesperson told News.com.au that the firm is "proud" of its workplace culture and mentoring. They stated that staff are employed on a 9-to-5 basis with a paid hour-long lunch break, and that extra hours or shorter breaks are optional and discouraged. The firm also claims to ban employees from taking work laptops home or accessing emails on mobile phones to protect their well-being and confine work to business hours. According to the firm, junior lawyers are not assigned billable hour targets for their initial three to six months, and senior partners are expected to bill a maximum of five hours daily.
Despite the unexpected end to her short tenure, Curukovski expressed excitement about regaining her freedom and plans to spend time with her dog. Her experience highlights the growing influence of social media in professional life and the potential consequences for employees who share workplace grievances online. IMAGE2 Natali Curukovski (above) was fired after complaining about her junior lawyer job after spending three weeks in the position. IMAGE3 Ms Curukovski claimed she'd received a wave of support from similarly frustrated junior lawyers. IMAGE4 Ms Curukovski's former workplace denied her allegations and said it was 'proud' of its workplace culture.