Vinson & Elkins

• “The work given to summer associates was challenging but great for a law student to jump into. The associates were helpful and always willing to go into more detail. All work seemed relevant and appropriate for a summer associate work assignment.”
• “The summer associates receive a very similar suite of onboarding and training as first-year associates do when we join the firm covering the technology, job expectations, information about the firm, and other helpful practice tips. The work assignments given to summer associates are very representative of those I have received as a first-year associate.”
• “Vinson & Elkins' summer program is well-designed to ensure that summer associates receive substantive assignments and get a genuine feel for the various practice groups. Summer associates receive formal mentors and are able to participate in a wide variety of training, both general legal training and practice-group-specific training. In my experience as a summer associate, I felt that I was meaningfully contributing to the teams I was on and was able to learn a wide variety of skills.”
• “The summer associate program offered many opportunities to do substantive work. Many of the non-work-related events organically led to conversations about different types of assignments, and the mix of an open market system and attorneys directly assigning tasks to summers opened up a lot of opportunities as a summer associate.”

• “We are very social: We do cooking classes, Astros games, wine tastings at partner's houses, a Tax-Mex tour around the city, a mixology class, and other events. SAs love seeing partners' houses.”
• “The social events were a great way to meet people and allowed summer associates to meet a wide variety of people from the firm. They provided lots of different ways to meet people from lunches and dinners in small and large groups to activities like getting nails done and making chocolate.”
• “Vinson & Elkins does an excellent job with social programs for summers, including a consistent (but not overwhelming) number of events on a weekly basis. The firm also empowers practice groups to take ownership of their own events, which leads to diversity among groups.”
• “Even though there were a lot of summers, it felt like a big family. I genuinely believe that V&E really prioritizes hiring people with amicable personalities. We had a huge spectrum of events from small dinner parties at people's homes and cooking classes to attending polo games and having thousand-dollar sushi. Associates and partners really display Texas hospitality with their warmth, care, and interest in you.”

• “The amount of work definitely increases. Otherwise, the summer experience is pretty indicative of what life is like as a junior associate.”
• “The biggest difference I observed is the opportunity to work with partners and associates across different offices. As a summer, I mostly worked with people at the same office but now not anymore. This fact brings challenges because it is harder to connect and communicate entirely remotely. But on the other hand, it also lets me know that the cases I am working on right now are bigger and more important. Overall, I appreciate this difference: It means more opportunities for me.”
• “As a summer associate, I thought starting would be a lot more difficult than it has been. I was put in the practice group I asked for, and I've been pleased with the work I've gotten to do and the majority of people I have gotten to work with. I already have learned so much and look forward to continuing to learn and grow here. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of interaction I have with partners and counsel: I get assignments and speak directly to them more than I have with mid-levels and seniors. I really appreciate being able to make those connections.”
• “There was both more and less work than I expected (the inherent lumpiness of junior work). Additionally, I was surprised by how personable attorneys were.”

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.