Law Firm Fined $51K for Overworking and Underpaying Junior Lawyer

A Melbourne-based law firm, Erudite Legal, has been fined over $51,000 for violating workplace laws under the Fair Work Act by forcing a junior lawyer to work extreme hours, including multiple 24-hour shifts and 79-hour weeks.

The lawyer, who was underpaid and denied personal time during family and medical emergencies, was also compelled to watch a film at 1 am to understand her boss’s “philosophical stance.” 

The Court found the firm’s actions constituted a repudiatory breach of contract and highlighted systemic issues of exploitation in the legal profession.

Despite orders, Erudite did not rectify payments and was eventually deregistered.