Together with

Table of Contents

• EDITOR’S RAMBLE 🗣

• FEATURED REPORT 📰

• TOGETHER WITH CLIFFORD CHANCE* 🤝

• IN OTHER NEWS 🗞

• AROUND THE WEB 🌐

• STUFF THAT MIGHT HELP YOU 👌

EDITOR’S RAMBLE 🗣

Some firms are scaling back DEI.

But these ones are pushing things forward.

In this year’s Social Mobility Employer Index, 7 of the top 10 spots went to law firms – and I think that's worth highlighting.

Firms like Browne Jacobson, Linklaters and Addleshaw Goddard are:

• Removing A-level requirements

• Setting up dedicated social mobility teams

• Making access part of long-term strategy

I think that matters.

Because without a clear path in, social mobility progress stalls.

And these firms are putting in the work — even when some others are pulling back.

So, if you’re doing applications right now (or if you’re just interested) here’s the full list — there are loads of law firms on it!

– Idin

FEATURED REPORT 📰

💥 Here's why AWS crashed (and how lawyers can help)

What’s going on here?

On Monday, Amazon Web Services — one of the world’s biggest cloud computing companies — went down. The outage hit more than 1,000 businesses and affected millions of their customers.

Social media apps like Snapchat and Reddit stopped working. Banks such as Lloyds and Halifax also faced problems. Even government systems like HMRC were disrupted.

Some of Amazon’s own products, like Ring doorbells and Alexa devices, were hit too.

What’s caused the outage?

This big problem came down to something simple — a Domain Name System (DNS) error.

What is DNS?

Well, when you type a website address into your browser, like “littlelaw.co.uk”, your computer doesn’t understand the word “littlelaw”.

Instead, it uses an IP address, to find the website. The DNS works like a contact list. It matches names (like “littlelaw.co.uk”) to the right number, so your computer can reach the site.

A DNS error happens when that “translation” fails. In this case, Amazon’s DNS system went down, so users’ computers couldn’t find the websites that rely on it. The servers themselves were still working, but users couldn’t reach them.

These errors can happen for many reasons, such as maintenance work. AWS said this one happened at its data centre in Northern Virginia (which is a hub for data centres).

What has this outage meant for companies?

Well, it’s shown just how much the internet now depends on a few big tech firms.

Three companies control most of the cloud computing market. AWS has about 30%, Microsoft Azure has 20%, and Google Cloud has 13%.

When one of them goes down, the effect spreads fast. It can disrupt everything from social media (not so important) to online banking and government systems (both super important).

To lower that risk, some technology companies are trying “cloud diversification.” This means spreading their data across different servers, regions, or even different providers. If one system fails, the others keep running.

But this approach isn’t cheap. Cloud companies charge not only for storing data but also for moving it between systems.

So, the more places a company spreads its data, the higher the cost.

What’s the big picture effect?

The outage raised a wider question: who really controls the world’s digital systems? It exposed how much of the online world depends on a few American tech giants.

Governments, especially in Europe, are now worried about this over-reliance. EU leaders are set to meet tomorrow to discuss Europe’s defence capabilities — and they’re also adding “digital sovereignty” as a key theme. This is the idea that Europe should build and manage its own digital systems instead of depending on foreign cloud providers.

The concern goes beyond outages. When data is stored on American servers, it’s also subject to American law.

For example, the US CLOUD Act (which stands for Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data) theoretically allows US authorities to access data held by American tech companies, even if that data belongs to people outside the US.

Are Amazon liable for the damage this caused?

When a company’s services go down because of an outage, it can still be responsible for the knock-on effects. This is known as downstream liability — being on the hook for losses even when the problem started higher up the chain.

When AWS went offline, banks using its systems couldn’t serve customers. Those customers might have lost money or faced delays, but they can’t sue AWS directly — their contract is with the bank. Instead, they could claim against the bank, which could then try to recover its own losses from AWS.

In practice, though, cloud providers like AWS protect themselves well. Their contracts usually exclude claims for indirect losses like lost profits, downtime, or damage to reputation. So, most likely, the best case outcome a customer can expect is a small service credit (basically a discount or some free usage next month).

Why should law firms care?

Law firms often help large tech clients negotiate their cloud service contracts. And after this outage, a lot of business will be reviewing the contracts they have in place.

They’ll be asking how reliable their cloud provider really is — and what happens if things go wrong.

Commercial lawyers could be asked to include new or tougher clauses when contracts come up for renewal, such as:

• 🔍 Access to audits: Clients might ask to see proof that their provider’s systems are reliable. For example, a retailer using AWS might want copies of security audit reports or the right to hire an independent expert to check data centre safety. They may even push to include a right to end the contract if the provider fails basic checks.

• 📢 Disclosure obligations: Clients may push for faster notice when an outage happens, regular updates during the disruption, and a full explanation once service is restored. That transparency helps manage business risk — and, if negligence is involved, gives the client grounds to consider legal action.

• 💰 Higher liability caps: Many cloud contracts cap compensation at a few months’ fees (even if the losses run into the millions). Clients may now push for higher limits or exceptions for major incidents, like when an outage leaks customer data or causes big financial harm.

Businesses will also be looking more closely at their insurance.

Law firms may need to advise how cyber policies apply — for instance, what kinds of losses are covered, how to prove the link between an outage and financial loss, and whether damage to reputation qualifies as an insured loss.

Outages will happen again. The key is helping clients plan ahead, so they’re ready long before the next one hits.

TOGETHER WITH CLIFFORD CHANCE* 🤝

Clifford Chance is looking for future lawyers — don’t count yourself out.

They’re not just after perfect CVs.

They’re looking for potential, ambition, and people who want to grow.

Clifford Chance’s London Training Contract is built to turn curious students into exceptional global lawyers.

Here’s who can apply:

• Law students in their penultimate year

• Law and non-law students in their final year

• Graduates ready to start their legal career

🗓 Deadline: 19 November 2025 (start now to give yourself plenty of time to prepare your application)

If you want to start your career at one of the world’s leading firms, this is your moment.

* This is sponsored content

IN OTHER NEWS 🗞

• 💼 Gowling WLG has appointed a former trainee to lead the firm. Chris Towle, who started as a trainee in Birmingham back in 2004, will become the new UK CEO. Towle has worked his way up to partner, now leading the Birmingham corporate team and co-heading the firm’s US initiatives. The appointment follows a strong year for the firm, with UK revenue up 9% to £225 million and pay rises for newly qualified lawyers.

• ⚖️ Another lawyer has been caught using AI to write legal arguments filled with fake cases. Barrister Chowdhury Rahman used ChatGPT-style software to prepare an asylum appeal for two Honduran sisters, citing 12 authorities — many of which didn’t exist. Judge Mark Blundell said Rahman not only failed to check his work but also tried to hide the use of AI, wasting the tribunal’s time. Rahman may now be reported to the Bar Standards Board.

• ⚔️ Slaughter and May is allegedly using the recent Mazur ruling to challenge rival firm Pogust Goodhead. The Mazur decision confirmed that non-solicitors can’t conduct litigation, even under supervision (here’s an explainer). And Slaughters is now questioning whether Pogust Goodhead’s team has broken that rule in the huge BHP group litigation case. In a leaked letter, Slaughters asked the firm to prove its lawyers were properly authorised, pointing out that some didn’t have practising certificates when they worked on the case.

AROUND THE WEB 🌐

• 🎶 Cool: Trace the shared musical “DNA” through decades of song you know (turn sound on for this)

• 😡 Annoying: Increasingly irritating CAPTCHAs

• 📘 Opposite: A reverse dictionary (find words based on their meanings)

STUFF THAT MIGHT HELP YOU 👌

• 📹️ Free application help: If you're applying to commercial law firms, check out my YouTube channel for actionable tips and an insight into the lifestyle of a commercial lawyer in London.