Vinson & Elkins

• “Training is, overall, as good as summer associate training can be. We rotate through practice groups, so we get an overview of the work that our rotation groups do but only spend around three weeks in each group. This serves its purpose, and I wouldn't change it, but the depth of the assignments is limited because of the short rotations.”
• “I received feedback from partners and senior associates on some of the projects I worked on. One attorney even took the time to sit down with me and review a memo I wrote. I appreciated the interest that the attorneys took in my training.”
• “I was given projects on active matters where I could see the impact that my work product was having on the development of cases and deals. My supervising attorneys worked closely with me and were always willing to provide advice.”
• “V&E provides great training opportunities and assigns a mentorship structure to help summer associates secure work. They also plan numerous training events to train summer associates on firm systems and substantive areas of law.”

• “I felt like I was part of the V&E family every day as a summer associate. The attorneys were incredibly intentional in their interactions and went out of their way to create opportunities for genuine friendship to develop.”
• “I know everyone says that they chose a firm because of the people, but that couldn't be more true at V&E. The social events were actually fun, and firm attorneys were genuinely interested in getting to know the summer associates. Since summer associates are placed in shared offices of 4-6 associates, we all grew very close and even planned weekend outings.”
• “The firm's summer associate program allowed summer associates to make connections with attorneys at every level in virtually every format. Practice groups held information sessions, large events throughout the summer, dinners, and other events at partners' houses; associates connected more informally with summers by taking summers out to coffee, lunches, dinners, etc. The firm also held larger events for just the summers and for the entire firm to allow summers to connect with future colleagues.”
• “There was just the right balance of daytime and evening summer events, which were well-attended and a lot of fun. There was no pressure to attend everything, but we pretty much did because we had such a great summer class.”

• “The experience of practicing is quite different from being a summer associate (i.e., more work, fewer planned social engagements), but that was my expectation all along. I think the attorneys did a good job during the summer associate program of not scaring us too much while still giving us reasonable expectations for what life at the firm would look like. I was given accurate representations of the practice group I'd be placed in.”
• “I do not think my experience as a full-time associate has differed at all from what I expected as a summer associate. The attorneys were very open about the fact that, at times, I would have to work long hours on complex issues and that the primary goal of the summer associate program, rather, was to gain exposure to the work done by the various practice groups and have meaningful interactions with the attorneys within those groups.”
• “There are few differences between my experience as a summer associate and as a first year. Because I received substantive assignments as a summer, the assignments now are comparable, if not a little larger in scope and difficulty.”
• “This is what I expected. I have more work. I enjoyed the social aspects of the summer associate program, but I enjoy getting to do actual work as an associate. I feel much more self-sufficient and able to settle into my role here.”

• “Casino night, karaoke night, and lobster boil.”
• “Pickleball tournament, Astros game, many great lunches and dinners.”
• “Batting practice at Astros stadium.”
• “American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera, escape room.”

Vinson & Elkins offers Summer Associates opportunities to work on high-level projects from a variety of practice areas of interest and on pro bono matters. Law students experience hands-on legal training, develop strong mentoring relationships, and get to know what it is like to practice in complex areas of law at Vinson & Elkins. Additionally, there are plenty of social and wellness activities that help students get to know future colleagues in a relaxed atmosphere.