Vinson & Elkins

• “We do rotations of three weeks each (along with an intro orientation week), and I really appreciated the opportunity to see what each group works on because going into it, I didn't know documents specific to each group, etc. Over my two summers, I was able to do substantive tasks, and everyone was extremely willing to spend a lot of time explaining context, providing feedback, etc.”
  • From the firm: Summer associate practice group rotations occur in Houston and Dallas. In other offices, summer associates are able to receive assignments from any practice group at any time throughout the summer.

• “Vinson & Elkins did a great job of making me feel valued as a summer associate and picked assignments that were challenging and meaningful enough to have me get a grasp of the practice area and to keep me engaged but not difficult enough to be overwhelming.”
• “There are a number of partners and counsel who are passionate about teaching/mentoring. Once I met with them and expressed some interest (for one, I made it clear I was interested in only one aspect of their work that related to my preferred practice group), they brought me in on matters they knew would interest me, took extra time before and after calls to explain the context/niche of practice, and always made room for me to ask questions. The mid-level associates who provided substantive work provided similar guidance and answered questions but also managed to keep pressure low even when I was doing valuable work. …”
• “I was given real, substantive assignments and received enough guidance to complete them well. I felt that I was actually making meaningful contributions to deals as a summer.”

• “The firm genuinely values its culture and prides itself on the relationships it fosters between its lawyers. As a result, the firm carefully curates many summer events to facilitate building relationships with the fellow summers and the practicing attorneys. These events range from attending sporting events, summer-associate-only dinners, dinners with partners, and much more. The social aspect of the summer program is definitely finely tuned.”
• “The firm had a great mix of social events that were office-wide and practice-group-specific. This structure allowed me to have facetime with all practice groups that I was evaluating for full time. Additionally, I was able to get very close with other summer associates and build long-lasting friendships that persisted until my time at the firm currently.”
• “They provided a wide range of social opportunities. I enjoyed how we had certain events with just summer associates and no attorneys present to give us a chance to get to know each other without the pressure. They also had large events for all attorneys and summers and more intimate events with just specific practice groups, which were great ways to interact with attorneys and get to know them. One of my favorite events was an intimate wine tasting at a partner's house with just the [Houston] tax group. I also really enjoyed the [office-wide] batting practice event at Daikin Park (formerly Minute Maid).”
• “The social events were well-organized, and I was able to meet attorneys across various practice groups.”

• “The ability to take on work is of course somewhat more restrictive once one is formally in a practice group, but there is still some wiggle room in picking what types of matters one can work on. Agency as an associate is linked to connecting with attorneys and less so on a formal allocation system.”
• “Very little [difference]. I was fully aware that my experience as an attorney would entail longer hours and far less social time compared to the summer program. I get better exposure to partners in work settings as an associate vs. as a summer associate.”
• “I was pleasantly surprised that the inclusive culture I experienced as a summer associate extended to my tenure as a full-time associate. All doors remain open, and everyone is willing to pause their work to help nudge me in the right direction any time that I am struggling with a task.”
• “Practicing has resulted in far more specialized work than my time as a summer associate. During the summer program, the team here does a great job of providing you with a lot of different work. Now, I find myself working more with the same partners and counsels, and on similar matters.”

Vinson & Elkins offers Summer Associates opportunities to work on high-level projects from a variety of practice areas of interest. Law students experience hands-on legal training, develop strong mentoring relationships, and gain a real understanding of what it is like to practice 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.

During Vinson & Elkins’ summer program, law students work alongside some of the best lawyers in their fields learning firsthand how they tackle legal issues, think about problem-solving, and provide top-level service to clients. Summer experiences include participating in strategy discussions for cases and deals, joining meetings with clients and opposing counsel, taking on research projects, handling pro bono matters, drafting documents, and attending depositions. These experiences are only the beginning of a career-long journey of development, collaboration, and learning.