A Gen-Z lawyer says she was sacked from her first job after she complained about it being 'soul-sucking' in a video posted online. Natali Curukovski, who had recently graduated from law school, was three weeks into her Melbourne-based role when she posted a viral TikTok about workplace culture.
In the video, she criticised the conditions she felt junior employees face, claiming that the job left her feeling like she'd lost her freedom and had no life outside of work. Natali said: 'I feel like I just have to be really, really honest. It's my third week practising as a lawyer in Melbourne and I knew this was coming, and I knew I'd feel this way, but I'm really just not loving it.'
'The constant deadlines, the pressure, the working after hours, doing all these CPD (continuing professional development) events, reading extra books — it's like I did seven years of all of this to just go back and do the same thing.'
Criticism of the industry
Natali also alleged that being a lawyer 'isn't really supportive of a lifestyle,' going so far as to say she was barely able to take a lunch break. She claimed that she was misled by the industry — initially signing up to law school because she wanted to make a difference to people's lives.
However, upon landing her first role, Natali confessed that she felt legal work actually involved 'making profits for that business, and if you don't produce profits, you're not of value to the team.' She continued: 'So it becomes less about helping people and more about making businesses richer and restricting your own time and freedom for a paycheck.'
After closing the video and reiterating that the job — and industry in general — was 'sucking [her] soul out,' Natali received a mixed response. The majority of comments she received were relatively harsh.
Mixed reactions
One person replied: 'Welcome to becoming an adult,' as another echoed: 'Welcome to life. You start at the bottom.' 'Oh lord, this generation…' someone else said, as another essentially screamed: 'IT'S CALLED HARD WORK! YOU CAN'T GET INSTANT GRATIFICATION OVER EVERYTHING THESE DAYS!'
But these comments aren't surprising. Gen Z is often accused of 'not wanting to work,' and criticised for prioritising strict work-life boundaries, mental health, and fair compensation over sacrificing their personal lives for a job title. Studies show that the younger generation are more motivated by purpose, and increasingly likely to turn down work that doesn't align with their own values and ethics.
Education psychologist Dr Adam McCartney tells Metro: 'Young people entering work today have grown up through several major economic shocks: the global financial crisis, the economic uncertainty and disruption following Brexit, the pandemic, and the continuing cost-of-living and housing crisis.'
Expert perspective
At the same time, Dr McCartney says they have been encouraged to invest heavily in education, often taking on substantial debt, without receiving the same return on that investment that previous generations enjoyed. 'Secure employment, affordable housing and steady financial progression no longer feel guaranteed,' he says.
Dr McCartney states it is therefore unsurprising that many prioritise security, wellbeing and clear boundaries. 'This is not simply laziness or entitlement; it is a rational response to the world they have inherited. Delayed gratification only makes sense when people believe that sacrifice today will create prosperity tomorrow.'
He continued: 'Many young people no longer believe that bargain will be honoured, so they are understandably less willing to surrender their evenings, relationships and mental health in exchange for a future that may never materialise.'
Ultimately, whatever you might think about the judgement involved in publicly criticising an employer on social media, Dr McCartney says the underlying concerns should not be dismissed. 'The idea that unpaid and excessive hours are simply a rite of passage often reflects an older workplace culture rather than a healthy or sustainable model of professional development.'
'Young people are not necessarily rejecting hard work; they are increasingly questioning why excessive demands on time and energy should be treated as evidence of commitment.'
Fired after refusing to delete video
Naturally, many other Gen Z users sided with Natali, saying that 'life should be balanced, and 'too much stress will make you sick and put you in an early grave.' 'You're very brave to advocate for yourself. It's a scary thing to look difficult and ungrateful. Your wellbeing should not be compromised for a paycheck — that's not real success, it's performance success,' said another.
However, just one week after posting the video — which has now racked up over 500,000 views — Natali revealed she had been fired from her job. Sharing another video to TikTok (which has since received more views than the original), she said she was let go because she refused to take the footage down.
Natali said she had been 'fired' because she 'posted a TikTok that got a lot of traction about the experience of junior lawyers.' She said her termination followed an 'awkward' and 'confronting' conversation where her employer had asked her to remove the video. However, Natali confirmed that she 'stood [her] ground,' which led to her 'effective immediately' termination letter.
This is despite Natali stating that she didn't mention the law firm she worked for, or share any client details. 'I was merely talking about the experience of junior lawyers,' she said, adding that she was 'willing to walk away from that role the second [she] started getting more engagement' on TikTok.
'I was fully aware that my TikTok could come back around to them, and it well and truly did come back around them,' Natali concluded. Natali's side of the story was later reportedly contested by her former employer.
While they said they would not comment on her specific situation, News.com.au report the firm stressed they are 'very proud' of their 'workplace culture and mentoring program with regards to all lawyers, and specifically junior lawyers.' The statement added that all staff are employed on a 9 to 5 basis with a fully paid one-hour lunch break.
'Some staff choose to work more hours than that, or take lesser lunch breaks. That is of their choosing and is not an obligation.' In fact, the firm said it 'actively discourages staff from working beyond 5pm because we do not believe that it is healthy or necessary.'
