Vinson & Elkins

firm name	Vinson & Elkins LLP
firm logo	Vinson & Elkins LLP logo.svg
headquarters	Texas Tower, Downtown Houston, Texas, U.S.
practice areas	Transactions, Mergers & Acquisitions, Litigation, Regulatory, Tax, Oil & Gas Law, Intellectual Property, Restructuring & Bankruptcy
key people	Chair, Keith Fullenweider; Vice Chairs Jim Fox, Michael Holmes and Hilary Preston
date founded	1917
founder	James A. Elkins and William A. Vinson
company type	Limited liability partnership
homepage	www.velaw.com

Vinson & Elkins LLP (or V&E) is an American multinational law firm headquartered in Houston, Texas.[1][2] Founded in 1917 during a historic Texas oil boom, the firm employs over 700 lawyers worldwide across fourteen offices in major international energy, financial, and political centers.[3] V&E is globally regarded for its energy, infrastructure, and corporate practices, and has been ranked the top law firm in Texas for ten consecutive years and the top law firm for Energy, Oil & Gas for thirteen consecutive years.[4]

Profile

Founding

The firm was founded in Houston, Texas, in 1917 by Judge James A. Elkins

Notable employees

Amanda K. Edwards, Houston City Council (2016–20), candidate for 2020 United States Senate election in Texas

Griff Aldrich, head basketball coach, Longwood University

J. Evans Attwell, former V&E managing partner; chair, Harris County Hospital District; and partial owner, Houston Astros (1978–1994)

Howard H. Baker Jr., former U.S. senator; White House Chief of Staff (1987–88)

Jimmy Blacklock, Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court

Jane Bland, justice, Supreme Court of Texas (2019–present)

Dale Carpenter, professor, Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law

John B. Connally Jr., presidential candidate (1980); Secretary of the Treasury (1971–72); Governor of Texas (1962–69); and Secretary of the Navy (1961–62)

Thomas H. Cruikshank, chairman and chief executive officer, Halliburton (1983-1995)

Carol E. Dinkins, deputy attorney general of Department of Justice (1984–85); assistant attorney general in charge of the Environment and Natural Resources Division for Department of Justice (1981–83)

Kyle Duncan (judge), judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

James A. Elkins, co-founder, Vinson & Elkins LLP; founder, First City Bank

Sidney A. Fitzwater, judge, United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas

Lizzie Fletcher, congresswoman from Houston (2019–present)[32]

Alberto Gonzales, U.S. Attorney General (2005–07); White House counsel (2001–05); Texas State Supreme Court (1999–2001); State Secretary of State Texas (1997–99); general counsel to Governor George W. Bush (1995–97)

Theodore "Ted" W. Kassinger, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce (2004-); general counsel, U.S. Department of Commerce (2001–04)

Ron Kirk, Mayor of Dallas, Texas (1995–2001); U.S. Trade Representative (2009-13)

Reed O'Connor, chief judge, United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas

George Peddy, attorney with Vinson & Elkins (1925-1942); Texas politician

Claude Pollard, co-founder Vinson, Elkins, Wood and Pollard, Attorney General of Texas (1927–1929)

Jeff Smisek, former chairman, president and CEO, Continental Airlines

Barry T. Smitherman, chairman, Railroad Commission of Texas (2012-2014); chairman, Public Utility Commission of Texas (2007-2011); candidate for Texas Attorney General (2013-2014)

Laura Swett, chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Eleanor Swift, professor, University of California, Berkeley School of Law

G. Zachary Terwilliger, United States Attorney, Eastern District of Virginia (2018–2021)

Mark Tuohey, candidate for Attorney General of the District of Columbia

Michael F. Urbanski, chief judge, United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia (2017-2024)

Vinson & Elkins

Profile

Founding

Leadership

Practice areas

Diversity

Past Controversies

International

Managing partners

Notable employees

See also

External links

References