Together with

Table of Contents

• EDITOR’S RAMBLE 🗣

• FEATURED REPORT 📰

• TOGETHER WITH 1440* 🤝

• IN OTHER NEWS 🗞

• AROUND THE WEB 🌐

• STUFF THAT MIGHT HELP YOU 👌

EDITOR’S RAMBLE 🗣

Last week, I had coffee with a junior associate at a top commercial law firm. While we were chatting, she said something that stuck with me:

"I think I was always meant to be a lawyer. It just made sense."

And sure, some people have that natural pull toward law. But that’s not the whole story.

We hear a lot about the "born lawyers" — the ones who seemed destined for it, who thrived in every academic setting, who "loved to argue” when they were kids.

But we don’t talk too much about the other types of people who end up in commercial law, and the wildly different journeys they take to get there.

From what I’ve seen, most commercial lawyers fall into one of two groups:

1. The Naturals: Some people were meant to be lawyers. They instinctively grasp commercial problems, they are confident and assertive, and they breeze through training contract applications. They seem made for this career, and they thrive in it from day one.

But here's the thing, these people are rare.

They're the ones everyone talks about on campus (“Did you hear she got five training contract offers?”).

But they’re the exception, not the rule.

2. The Grinders: These are the ones who don’t start as naturals but succeed through persistence. Maybe they weren’t the most confident in their first assessment centre, but by the third or fourth cycle of applications, they were getting close to a training contract (this was me).

They have resilience. They don’t rely on raw talent — they (have to) build their skills over time. Their success isn’t flashy, but it’s durable.

And, like The Naturals, they become well-rounded and effective lawyers in the end.

Here’s what I’ve learned from watching people take these different paths.

It doesn’t matter where you start — what matters is whether you keep going.

Because the biggest mistake people make is thinking that setbacks are a sign to stop. That if you get rejected, it means you’re not cut out for this. But that’s not how success works.

Every great lawyer I’ve met has had moments where they doubted themselves. The difference is, they didn’t let those moments define them.

So if you’ve faced rejection, if the process feels impossible, if you’re questioning whether you belong, know this:

The people who make it aren’t always the ones who were born for it.

More often, they’re the ones who refused to stop.

So, keep going.

- Idin

FEATURED REPORT 📰

🕵️‍♂️ The government wants to read your messages (Apple’s fighting back)

What’s going on here?

The UK government has told Apple to build a backdoor into its encrypted cloud service to allow them access to customer data. This has triggered a fight over the privacy of Apple’s customers.

What gives the UK government this power?

Last month, the UK Home Office sent Apple a “technical capacity notice” under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA) — no, not the kind of IPA your mate sips at the pub. The IPA gives law enforcement, intelligence agencies (like MI5 and GCHQ) and other public authorities the power to access people’s communications.

Under the IPA, the government can issue three types of notices:

• Data retention notices: Require companies to store users’ communication data.

• Technical capacity notices: Force companies to build systems that let the government access data — this is what they’ve asked Apple to do.

• National security notices: Order companies to take actions necessary for national security.

Clearly, these orders are a big deal (they force companies give the government access to user data).

So any notice has to go through a double-lock approval process. This means it has to be approved by:

• ✅ the Secretary of State (a government official)

• ✅ an Independent Judicial Commissioner (a senior judge)

This idea is to balance national security needs with legal safeguards.

Why does the UK want Apple’s data?

Apple offers a feature called Advanced Data Protection (ADP), which users can choose to enable. This feature applies end-to-end encryption to their data, including messages and photos stored in the cloud, meaning not even Apple can access it. That’s a problem for the UK government, which wants access to data for security reasons.

That’s why the government issued the technical capacity notice — to force Apple to build a way into the private system. Officials argue encryption helps criminals avoid getting caught, which interferes with their ability to solve cases of terrorism and child abuse.

Apple’s stance? Privacy should come first, and laws like the IPA could give governments too much power to snoop on people.

Why is this a problem for Apple?

Apple has built its brand around privacy and calls it a "fundamental human right."

If it builds a backdoor for the UK government, its promise of full security falls apart. That could mean reputation damage, customer backlash, and lost trust.

Legally, Apple can’t comment on this specific notice. But when the UK asked for external comments on changes to the Investigatory Powers Act in 2024, Apple made its stance clear: it won’t comply.

Instead, it said it would rather “withdraw critical safety features” from the UK market than build a privacy backdoor.

But even removing safety features, however, wouldn’t fully meet the government's demands under the notice.

What’s the big picture effect?

This problem isn’t just about Apple users in the UK — it forces Apple to build a global backdoor for encrypted data.

That means UK authorities could potentially access private data from users worldwide, which would trigger concerns from other governments.

The backlash has already started.

The US Senator Ron Wyden called it an “unmitigated disaster” for American privacy.

Ross McKenzie, a data protection partner at Addleshaw Goddard, warned that this could create tensions with the EU. The UK and EU have a deal that allows personal data to flow freely between them, but it’s up for review later this year. If the UK is seen as undermining privacy protections, that agreement could be at risk.

Plus, Apple isn’t alone in this fight.

Other tech giants offering end-to-end encryption could also be targeted, including:

• Meta (WhatsApp): Encrypts backed-up messages.

• Google: Encrypts Android phone backups by default.

• Signal & Telegram: Secure messaging apps used by journalists and activists.

And if companies refuse to comply, the UK government has several enforcement options, including heavy fines, criminal prosecution of executives, and banning a company from operating in the UK.

A tough environment for tech companies: No other major democracy has introduced legislation that gives the government such broad access to encrypted user data. The IPA could make the UK a much less attractive place for tech companies that prioritise privacy.

TOGETHER WITH 1440* 🤝

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IN OTHER NEWS 🗞

• ⚽️ Manchester City is taking the Premier League to court (again). The club is challenging the league’s rules on associated party transactions (APTs) — basically, deals with companies linked to club owners. The rules aim to stop clubs from gaining an unfair edge by overvaluing sponsorships or cutting costs unfairly. But City (represented by Freshfields) argues these rules are anti-competitive and break public law principles. It’s another big legal battle for the club, which is already facing separate financial rule charges from the league.

• 👔 Slaughter and May has picked David Johnson as its next managing partner. He’ll take over from Deborah Finkler, who retires in July. Johnson has been with the firm since 1991, making partner in 2000. He specialises in M&A and has worked with big names like BHP, GSK, and IAG (the group behind British Airways, Vueling and Iberia). He officially steps into the role in August 2025.

• 🇸🇦 Reed Smith and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) are setting up shop in Saudi Arabia. Reed Smith has opened in Riyadh, while BCLP is launching offices in Riyadh and Al-Khobar (adding to its presence in Abu Dhabi and Dubai). They’re part of a bigger trend — 18 UK and US law firms now have licenses to operate in Saudi, with 10 more waiting. The push is fuelled by Saudi Vision 2030, the country’s big legal and economic reform plan.

• 🎸 Sony Music has lost its appeal in a copyright fight over Jimi Hendrix’s music. The estates of Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell (Hendrix’s former bandmates) claim they own a share of the rights to the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s classic albums. The dispute stems from an alleged oral agreement in 1967, which split profits: 50% to Hendrix, 25% to Redding, and 25% to Mitchell. Sony argues that after Hendrix’s death, his father inherited all rights. The case will now go to trial in December — Redding and Mitchell’s families are represented by Keystone Law, while Sony is advised by Simkins.

AROUND THE WEB 🌐

• 💡 Interesting: The city of Paris doesn’t have a single stop sign

• 🎨 Nostalgia: Remember Spirographs (those plastic gears that make cool patterns) as a kid? Here’s an online version

• 🖱️ Odd: Ever wonder how far your mouse is traveling?

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.