Vinson & Elkins

Founded in Houston in 1917, Vinson & Elkins was one of the most vital energy law firms. Today, V&E attorneys are trusted advisers to clients in the most important industrial, financial, and digital industries, such as renewable energy, technology, banking/finance, M&A/private equity, real estate, media, complex litigation, and tax.

A Dynamic Centenarian

With 13 offices across the globe, V&E comprises a diverse partnership and team of professionals who solve problems and create opportunities for client transactions, investments, projects, and disputes. In 2021, the firm celebrated the 50th anniversary of its London office, making it one of the oldest U.S. law firms with a continuous presence in the city, and 2022 marked the 50th anniversary of its Washington, DC, office. The V&E New York City office, established in 1998, recently increased the number of attorneys by more than 100% since 2018, bringing the firm’s Big Apple headcount to approximately 125 lawyers.

The firm is headed by a four-person leadership team located in different offices. Executive Committee members include Chair Keith Fullenweider (Houston), Vice Chairs Jim Fox (New York), Michael Holmes (Dallas), and Hilary Preston (Austin and New York).

The Energy Transition

V&E navigates its clients’ most complex legal matters with expertise across practices, including litigation, investigations, real estate, private equity, technology, and leveraged finance. Within its capacity as a full-service firm, V&E continues to thrive in its original core areas of energy and infrastructure and been consistently in the top rankings in Vault’s Energy, Oil & Gas and Clean Tech/Renewable Energy categories.

During the past 20 years, the firm has built a top-notch clean energy and renewables practice with lawyers experienced in hydro, solar, and wind energies; energy storage; fuel cells; smart-grid applications; biomass; and waste-to-energy matters. V&E teams work across practices, combining attorneys’ expertise in environmental law counseling, licensing, M&A, project development, project financing, regulatory counseling, and tax.

V&E focuses on the energy transition to provide insight and analysis to clients on a broad range of topics by looking at how companies and economies establish energy sustainability and a clean technology future via renewable energy projects while complying with federal and state regulations, making climate change adaptations, and considering international developments.

Plus Pro Bono

V&E isn’t just a big player in the energy, financial, industrial, and digital worlds; it also demonstrates a strong commitment to pro bono work. V&E lawyers perform an average of 20,000 hours of pro bono work every year. V&E is known mostly for the legal aid it provides veterans, nonprofits, low-income individuals, asylum seekers, small businesses, and people seeking medical guardianship.

• Vinson & Elkins is at the forefront of the energy transition, advising on complex transactions and disputes related to renewables and clean energy, providing Inflation Reduction Act tax credit counseling, and helping clients navigate climate change and ESG risks. In 2022, V&E advised on more than $25 billion related matters. Clients include Goldman Sachs, Riverstone, Macquarie, and The Carlyle Group.
• In 2022, V&E trial attorneys secured a $94 million unanimous jury verdict for Huntsman Corporation against an industrial gas supplier in a breach of contract. 
• V&E’s Shareholder Activism practice is top ranked, defending nearly 300 campaigns over proxy seasons 2015-2023.
• Represented Woodside Petroleum in $43 billion merger with BHP Group, creating a global top 10 independent energy company, one of the largest transactions by value in the industry in 2022. 
• Advising companies in the digital infrastructure and technology sectors related to AI, gaming platforms, and data centers.

• Mansfield Rule Certified, 2020-2023—Diversity Lab
• Best Law Firm for Women for 10th year, 2022—Seramount 
• 100% Score for 11 years on Corporate Equality Index for LGBTQ+ Workplace Equality, 2022—Human Rights Campaign
• Named for three years to Bloomberg Law’s DEI Framework for firms that meet or exceed an established threshold of diversity, equity, and inclusion, 2021-2023—Bloomberg Law
• 80% of V&E Partners are recognized for their work in leading legal publications, 2022-2023—Chambers, Legal 500, Best Lawyers