Jared Oyston - Vodafone deal

Jared Oyston studied History at Cambridge and joined Linklaters in September 2006. He is currently on a six-month secondment in Hong Kong and enjoying rewarding experiences outside work, including sailing in the Hong Kong harbour. He qualifies into the litigation department in September 2008.

Working on a milestone transaction that was to become the biggest-ever foreign investment into India made for an exciting first seat in Corporate. Vodafone was looking to gain a real foothold in India, one of the few remaining mobile telecommunications markets in the world with real growth potential. They had made previous forays into the market, but were still a marginal player. When Hutchison decided to sell its 67% stake in Hutchison Essar, the fourth-largest mobile telecoms firm in India, it seemed the perfect opportunity to gain that foothold, even if the deal would be a very complicated one.

I really had to hit the ground running. I was working closely with my principal, who was the lead partner for most of Linklaters’ major work with Vodafone. I felt really close to the heart of the transaction and the high-level negotiations. But at the same time, I was immersed in the nitty-gritty of the transaction, working with junior associates in the dataroom, examining documents relating to all areas of the target company, ensuring everything was as it should be – and even if the deal should go ahead at all.

I learned a lot from observing Vodafone’s approach to the deal. They wanted the deal to sign within an incredibly short timeframe and, while inevitably the process took much longer, this was nevertheless a lesson in just how quickly even the most complicated transactions can be completed if there is the necessary will. As well as developing my basic legal skills – and spending three weeks working in Singapore while working on the deal - it was a great introduction to the type of high-end deals Linklaters works on. In particular, it was a lesson in putting myself in the client’s shoes.

The deal was a great success – and headline news. But there are rewards to be found here outside everyday work. My current seat is in Hong Kong, where Linklaters has a relationship with a local orphanage. Along with some colleagues, I recently took around 30 of the children up in the hills for a day out including a picnic and games. They don’t often get to see green open space, so they absolutely loved it. It gave me a great sense of wellbeing to see the children so happy despite their difficult circumstances. This is one of many opportunities Linklaters has given me to put something back into the local community. In my previous seat for example, I regularly attended the Disability Law Service to give free legal advice.