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Nick is a trial lawyer who represents and advises clients in both litigation and arbitration.  Nick has tried a range of commercial cases and, in recent years, he has obtained jury verdicts of $96 million (net) and $60 million (net) and a take-nothing arbitration award on multi-million dollar claims for energy industry clients.

Quentin is a commercial litigator who focuses on business, energy, and petrochemical disputes.

Nick is a Leading Individual in the Legal 500 UK 2024 Construction rankings and is ranked in Band 1 for International Arbitration, Construction, in Chambers 2024. He has been described by Chambers UK as “one of the most important construction lawyers in the world” and “a truly exceptional and very determined lawyer” who “you underestimate at your peril”.  Nick has also previously been described in Chambers as “widely regarded as a market leader in international construction arbitration”, a “construction law heavyweight”, and a “brilliant strategist”.

Mike is a financial lawyer with a broad range of experience, primarily helping commercial lenders, investors and borrowers negotiate private credit transactions and bank loans.

Jeremy is an appellate litigator, with a focus on constitutional and administrative law, including environmental and pipeline litigation. His practice involves both civil and criminal matters in the Supreme Court, and federal and state appellate and trial courts, as well as regulatory and legal counseling.

Andrew advises on project development and finance, primarily in the energy and infrastructure sectors. He has extensive experience in engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts.

Benji focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions and private equity. He advises private equity firms and public and private companies in connection with strategic transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures. Most recently, Benji worked as an Associate General Counsel for one of the largest independent midstream infrastructure companies in North America. Benji also serves as a Talent/Diversity lead for the Mergers & Acquisitions and Capital Markets group in Houston.

Craig serves as Co-Head of Vinson and Elkins’ Litigation & Regulatory department and is a leader of the firm’s renowned global Antitrust Group. With 30 years of antitrust experience that results from working with the world’s leading companies, today Craig represents clients in all areas of antitrust law, including criminal grand jury investigations, civil investigations by the FTC and the DOJ, class action litigation, and merger investigations. A core area of Craig’s practice involves defending multinational companies in cartel and price-fixing investigations. He has successfully defended Fortune 100 companies in grand jury investigations and coordinated the defense of multijurisdictional cartel investigations. Craig, who is based in Washington, D.C., has represented clients in obtaining amnesty from the Department of Justice, and has successfully defended others in cartel investigations with no charges being brought against the company. “Some of my greatest victories are those that receive no publicity, such when our team convinces the government not to bring charges against a client at the end of grand jury investigation or when my team obtains amnesty for a client.” Craig also represents companies in antitrust civil litigation, including follow-on actions to cartel investigations. He has been able to win bet-the-company cases for clients by winning early dismissals, defeating class certification and winning summary judgment motions. While Craig primarily represents defendants in civil litigation, he currently represents 12 large shipping companies asserting claims against the four leading railroad companies in In re Rail Freight Fuel Surcharge Antitrust Litigation.

Brenda Lenahan focuses her practice on capital markets, and corporate governance and compliance. Brenda represents both issuers and underwriters in a variety of capital markets transactions. She has wide experience handling initial public offerings, other public offerings of debt and equity securities, and private placements of debt and equity securities. She has particular experience with Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) and publicly traded master limited partnerships (MLPs). Brenda is a highly skilled practitioner with extensive knowledge of securities law. She regularly advises clients on general corporate matters, including corporate compliance and governance.

Darin Schultz advises on secured lending transactions in the energy sector, working with clients on financings through every stage of the business life cycle. His practice focuses primarily on representing borrowers, including emerging ventures, established companies and private equity sponsors, in a wide variety of syndicated financings. Darin has extensive experience in deals involving upstream, midstream and oilfield services companies; acquisition finance; and project finance. He has also represented lenders in a variety of transactions.

Jason McIntosh is a transactional tax lawyer who focuses on complex cross-border and domestic transactions.

Brett Santoli represents borrowers and lenders in complex domestic and cross-border financings in an array of industries. In the energy space, he advises upstream and midstream oil and gas companies, power generation and transmissions businesses and oilfield services firms. He has also structured deals involving maritime firms, restaurant franchises, airlines, mining companies, agribusiness firms, gaming companies, insurance firms, broadcasters, publishers and sports businesses. In addition to his U.S.-based work, he has handled numerous matters in Europe and South America.

Wendy Trahan Salinas is an experienced and versatile tax attorney who focuses on taxable finance and other complex business transactions. In her taxable finance practice, Wendy advises borrowers and lenders on the tax implications of domestic and cross-border financing transactions. She has extensive experience in representing both public and privately held companies on transactions including bank credit facilities, mezzanine financings, derivatives, and project financings. She advises private equity funds in connection with debt and equity investments and other private equity transactions. She also advises public companies and lenders on bankruptcy restructuring transactions.

Jo Ann counsels regulated entities and entities that wish to own regulated assets related to energy in Texas and represents them in front of state and federal regulators. She represents clients in complex matters decided in bench trials in administrative and civil forums. She also assists clients in meeting federal electric reliability standards, helping them navigate compliance audits and reconcile potential non-compliance issues. In addition, Jo Ann advises parties to transactions that touch regulated, energy related assets.

Thomas is the co-Managing Partner of the Austin office and has an extensive corporate practice, advising on capital markets transactions, including initial public offerings and other equity and debt offerings, and merger and acquisition transactions.

Ramey’s principal areas of practice are capital markets, securities law, and mergers and acquisitions. He has a particular focus on transactions relating to Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) and publicly traded master limited partnerships (MLPs). He represents both issuers and underwriters in public and private securities offerings. Ramey has advised clients on general corporate matters, public company reporting issues, restructuring of partnerships, and reporting obligations in connection with acquisition and disposition of partnership securities. Additionally, Ramey advises clients on Investment Company Act of 1940 avoidance.

John Michael is Head of the firm’s Maritime & Offshore practice. He represents clients in a wide variety of corporate, finance, and commercial matters relating to shipping, marine terminalling, offshore drilling and oilfield services, and offshore wind. His experience includes maritime and energy transactions across the Americas, Asia, Europe, Australia, and Africa. He also represents clients in transactions relating to the trading, intermodal transportation, terminalling, and export of crude oil, refined products, LNG, NGLs, renewable fuels and dry-bulk commodities.

Sarah Morgan co-heads V&E’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Capital Markets practice group and is a member of the firm’s partnership admissions committee. She is an experienced securities lawyer who focuses on capital-raising transactions for clients in the energy industry and other sectors. Sarah represents public companies, private companies, investment banks, management teams, private equity in all forms of capital-raising transactions, including IPOs, registered offerings of debt and equity securities, private placements of debt and equity securities, preferred equity investments, at-the-market continuous offering programs (ATMs), tender offers, exchange offers and private debt exchanges. She advises clients, including public companies and their boards of directors, on securities disclosure, corporate governance and compliance matters. She also plays a strategic role in advising clients on a broad range of ESG issues and related risks, including the preparation of sustainability reports and advice on other climate disclosures, the development of corporate ESG programs and related governance oversight and the establishment of net zero or other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets.

John co-heads V&E’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Capital Markets practice group. His corporate practice focuses primarily on private equity investments and mergers and acquisitions. He is experienced in advising clients in making energy investments in the upstream and midstream sectors.

Dan currently serves as co-Managing Partner of V&E’s New York office. Dan focuses his practice on counseling private equity firms and their portfolio companies on the full life cycle of deals. He is highly experienced in advising on strategic investments, joint ventures, mergers & acquisitions and divestitures. His clients include some of the largest and most active private equity firms in the world. Dan also counsels private and public companies on general corporate matters. Dan served as the hiring partner for V&E’s New York office from 2016 through 2021.

Matthew has a national practice spanning every major environmental statute, and has been recognized for his expertise in the areas of environmental litigation, regulation and transactional matters by the Legal 500. Matthew’s practice focuses on complex regulatory counseling, remedial issues, environmental litigation, navigating the energy transition, and environmental transactional matters. He has extensive experience advising clients engaged in low-carbon ventures, including permitting issues in connection with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects, negative emissions projects, and renewable fuels and credits (e.g., EPA RFS and California LCFS). He also counsels clients on matters related to infrastructure development, including pipeline safety regulations. He routinely counsels private equity, financial institutions, and public and private company clients on environmental liabilities across an array of industries, including all segments of the oil and gas sector, renewable power and fuels, waste recycling and disposal, and the mining, chemicals, and paper industries. With respect to environmental litigation, Matthew both defends and pursues environmental indemnification claims on behalf of clients, and also has experience responding to industrial incidents. In addition, Matthew has extensive experience advising clients on the resolution of environmental liabilities identified in the course of transactions, having successfully negotiated the environmental terms of hundreds of transactions over the past decade. He is frequently called upon to advise private equity funds and financial institutions on environmental liability management, providing risk-counseling and developing mitigation strategies in the context of assessing investment opportunities and entering new markets. With respect to project financings, he has a demonstrated track record of helping companies successfully navigate sustainable financing requirements, such as the Equator Principles. Matthew is a member of the firm’s Diversity Executive Committee.

Alan’s practice focuses on project development, project financings and joint ventures. He has experience working with petrochemical companies, midstream developers, exploration and production companies, project developers and financial investors on complex projects and transactions in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors. In particular, Alan has significant experience in complex downstream projects, as well as experience assisting clients in energy transition matters involving renewable fuels, carbon capture, clean ammonia, low-carbon hydrogen, carbon monetization, and grid resiliency. Alan also has significant experience advising on energy projects in Latin America.

Scott is a leading international construction disputes lawyer and focuses his practice on complex, multi-jurisdictional construction, engineering, energy and infrastructure projects. In the energy sector, Scott has a particular focus on renewable energy project disputes and has played a central role in developing V&E’s growing Energy from Waste practice. Scott is also an authority on disputes under the FIDIC form of contracts, and particularly with large scale DAB/DAAB proceedings.

Stephanie is a trial lawyer who has litigated commercial matters in both state and federal courts across the country. She has experience representing clients in a wide array of cases, including energy, contract, shareholder, and construction disputes. Her experience also includes representing companies in international and domestic arbitrations, as well as administrative appeals. Stephanie is also actively involved in the Firm’s pro bono practice, through which she has represented individuals in asylum and family-law proceedings and advised local non-profits on various litigation and regulatory matters.

Head of V&E’s Global Finance practice group, David Wicklund advises clients on complex acquisition and leveraged financings.

Based in the firm’s London office, Nabil is global head of the Project Finance practice, and heads the firm’s Middle East and CIS practices. He has been based in London for more than two decades and has extensive experience in project finance and privatizations. Nabil has advised on oil and gas, pipeline, petrochemical, mining and metals, energy transition, power, port, and other projects around the word. He has also served on the Documentation Committee of the Loan Market Association (LMA).

Peter’s principal area of practice is complex commercial litigation, with a focus on international disputes. His experience includes work as an advocate in both international commercial and investor-state arbitrations under numerous institutional rules, including the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR). Peter has particular experience in disputes arising out of complex, multi-jurisdictional construction, engineering, energy and infrastructure projects. He has worked on international disputes for clients in both civil and common law jurisdictions all over the world, including Latin America, the US, Western Europe, the Middle East, Australia and West Africa. Peter also has significant experience representing clients in U.S. federal court related to arbitration issues, including in the enforcement of arbitral awards and applications to obtain evidence in aid of arbitral proceedings.

Lauren advises on the development and financing of projects in the energy and infrastructure sectors, acting for clients on complex projects in emerging markets and across the globe. In particular Lauren has extensive experience in project finance, advising project companies, sponsors, host governments and lenders in connection with the development and financing of projects in the oil and gas, petrochemical, mining and metals, LNG, port and infrastructure sectors.

James is a commercial litigator who has worked with an array of clients on disputes in federal and state court as well as in private arbitration. He has also assisted public and privately-held clients with internal and governmental investigations.

Robert advises private equity firms, portfolio companies and a variety of public and private businesses in connection with a range of strategic transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, structured financings, leveraged buyouts and joint ventures. His work focuses on identifying practical solutions to complex legal issues and spans a variety industries, including infrastructure, renewables, telecommunications, energy and technology.

Crosby Scofield advises public and private companies, private equity funds and other financial sponsors in connection with corporate matters and strategic transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures and preferred equity financings. Crosby also routinely represents issuers and underwriters in capital markets transactions.

Katherine’s principal area of practice is corporate finance and securities law, including capital markets transactions, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and general corporate representation. Katherine has assisted private and public company clients in capital markets transactions such as registered offerings of debt and equity securities, private placements of debt and equity securities, and at-the-market continuous offering programs (ATMs). She also advises private and public company clients, including their boards of directors, on securities disclosure, corporate governance and compliance matters, including ESG matters.

Gary Huffman’s practice focuses on domestic and international tax planning, tax transactions, and litigation, with an emphasis on partnerships, financial products and natural resources. For more than 30 years, Gary has advised major multinational corporations, including some of the world’s largest banks and oil and gas exploration and production companies, on inbound and outbound cross-border transactions. He has a depth of experience in handling the tax aspects of structuring and raising capital for master limited partnerships (MLPs). Gary has led major corporate acquisitions, dispositions, and spin-off transactions, and has structured countless strategic alliances and joint ventures around the globe.

Michael Charlson handles complex litigation matters across a range of substantive areas, although he focuses his practice on securities class action, corporate governance and shareholder derivative litigation and related counseling. For more than 30 years, Michael has represented corporations, officers, directors and other constituencies, usually in lawsuits and investigations related to allegations that they have issued false and misleading statements or mismanaged the company. His clients span industries, from the most cutting-edge biotech innovators to gravel pit operators, and everything in between. And they are often facing billions of dollars of damages and serious threats to the enterprise’s continued existence. Michael also co-led the team that secured a jury verdict for defendants (including his client, the former CEO) in In re JDS Uniphase Securities Litigation, one of only a handful of securities class actions that have gone to trial.

Michael advises clients on strategic and capital-raising transactions across a broad range of industries, including technology, renewable and sustainable energy, transportation and manufacturing. Michael has extensive experience with minority and growth equity investments (including preferred equity and convertible debt financings), as well as acquisitions, dispositions and sale-of-the-company transactions, and corporate reorganizations. He also regularly advises on corporate governance, securities law and other general corporate matters.

Louise serves as Head of International Disputes – Europe. She is ranked in Legal 500 UK, 2022 in the field of International Arbitration, where she is described by sources as “an excellent lawyer who is very sharp and easily accessible”, and “in a word, brilliant.” Louise has significant experience in arbitration and litigation of high value, complex international commercial disputes and investor-state arbitration. She also has extensive experience of dealing with fraud and corruption allegations and investigations in the context of large scale, complex international arbitration and litigation. She is admitted in England and Wales as a Solicitor-Advocate and regularly appears as an advocate before international arbitration tribunals. She represents clients across a wide range of industry sectors, including energy, banking and financial services, construction, infrastructure, technology and real estate development. Of particular note is Louise’s representation of a Saudi investor in Hesham Al-Warraq v. the Republic of Indonesia, an investor-state arbitration which set a precedent under the Investment Agreement of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, allowing foreign investors to take host states to arbitration.